Return to Gaea
by MadamWriterGal
Summary: Hitomi gets a chance to return to Gaea, but will she be able to stop the new chaos that is arising on the world? Read to find out! Reviews are welcome and appreciated!
1. Information

**Characters**: 

**The Mystic Moon:**

Obichan (Yuri) Yoshiko: Hitomi's grandmother. She was 57 years old when she died of cancer. Yuri was the girl of legend that met Leon in the Chatal Mountains all those years ago. She later gave the Atlantis necklace that she received from Leon to her granddaughter, Hitomi, on her ninth birthday. Yuri died when Hitomi was 12 years old. A year before she died, she gave Hitomi a deck of tarot cards and a music box that she had custom made to play a Gaean folk song. Hitomi treasures these items more than anything she owns because they are some of the only items she has left to remember her grandmother by.

Yuji Yoshiko: Hitomi's grandfather. He is 69 years old and is a retired manga artist. Besides Hitomi's mother, Yuji is the only other person who knows about Obichan's visit to Gaea. He based one of his bestselling Manga series "The Legend of the Crystal Valley" off the adventures Obichan had on Gaea when she was 15 years old. When Hitomi returns from her trip to Gaea, she tells her story to Yuji and he makes a continuation of his first manga series which he calls "Return to the Crystal Valley." The series follows the exploits of the main character, Yoko's, granddaughter. It quickly becomes a national bestseller and people often asked him how he received the inspiration for his new story. While being interviewed by one of his fans he only smiled and said; "Well it's hard to say where I come up with all of my ideas. But I have to admit that I get a lot of my inspiration from my granddaughter. She has quite an imagination you know." Three years later (after completing the series) he officially retires and moves in with the Kanzaki family. He now helps the family run their family business, serving as an assistant chef to Hitomi's Father, Masao.

Takeo Kanzaki: Hitomi's brother. He is 16 years old and goes to Hitomi's high school. His biggest role model is his grandfather because it is his dream to be a manga artist one day. His father is training him to be a chef so he'll be able to take over the family business when he retires. Until that day, Takeo is determined to make a bestselling manga series like his grandfather and succeed in all his studies as Kama Kita High School.

Masao Kanzaki: Hitomi's father. He is 45 years old and owns his owns his own restaurant. His restaurant is called the "Emerald Dragon Sushi Bar," and attracts people from all over the world. He is a master chef and is training his son to take his position of high chef when he retires from the business. He is a stickler for tradition and is always scolding Hitomi for not acting like a proper lady. He encourages his son to be a manga artist and follow in the footsteps of his grandfather but puts a lot of pressure on him to master the family business before mastering his art skills. He supports Hitomi's dream of being a writer but always reminds her of her place in the traditional Japanese home.

Hiroka Kanzaki: Hitomi's mother: She is 43 years old and helps her husband run the family business. Hitomi is very close to her mother and tells her everything. Hiroka is the only person who knows about Hitomi's trip to Gaea besides her grandfather Yuji. She keeps her secret safe and is always bugging her daughter to tell her more details about her wonderful journey. Hiroka is convinced that Hitomi will marry Van one day. Hitomi always tries to deny this and her mother just smiles. 

Reiko Uchida: Reiko is Yukari's grandmother. She was originally named Reiko Toshika before marrying Yukari's grandfather, Keung Uchida. She is 68 years old and was the best friend of Hitomi's grandmother, Yuri. Reiko and Yuri had a lot in common. A lot of people thought they were sisters because they shared so many of the same interest. Reiko was also brought to another world on the eve of her 15th birthday; but it wasn't Gaea. It was the world of Fortulah, made from the wishes of Ispano's during the fall of Atlantis. After training in the temple of Fortulah she gained the power to save the world from the chaos that had befallen it. To reward her for her courage and valor the spirit of the world gave her a necklace as a symbol of her everlasting gratitude. Reiko's family was named the official protectors of the world and then Reiko was sent back to her world shortly after. She gave Yukari the sacred necklace on the eve of her ninth birthday. (Much like Hitomi's grandmother gave Hitomi her necklace on the eve of her ninth birthday.) She never told her daughter or granddaughter about her trip to Fortulah because she was never summoned after her grand adventure. She assumed that the world was at peace and surrendered her position of Fortulah's protector to her granddaughter when she was 59 years old.

Keung Uchida: Originally named Nathaniel Arenwel, Keung is Yukari's grandfather. He is 69 years old and looks very European in countenance. He is the only person who knows about Reiko's adventure because he is originally from the world of Fortulah. During the final battle, Keung helped Reiko drive the evil back with his kingdom's forces. Keung was originally the ruler of Aeyda, a kingdom that rests in the Phydon Mountains of Fortulah. When Reiko was brought back to her world he realized that he was in love with her so he summoned a wizard to help find her. The wizard cast a powerful spell that generated a pillar of light and shortly after the bright light diminished into the distance he found himself in an unfamiliar land. He spent three years learning the language and traveling the county side. He met up with Reiko again when he was 18 years old and they were married shortly after. Keung realized that he had to blend in with Japanese society so he changed his name from "Nathaniel Arenwel" to "Keung Uchida" and became a local sword instructor. He opened his own Dojo a few years after changing his name and it became a well respected sword training school in the Kamakura district. The dojo was passed down to their son Kenji when they retired.

Mei Uchida: Mei is Yukari's mother. She was originally named Mei Sachiko before marrying Yukari's father, Kenji. She is 43 years old and helps run the family dojo. She teaches the yoga classes and helps her husband take care of the business affairs. Mei is very close to her daughter, Yukari and is training her to take over the family business. She pushes Yukari hard in her study of the yoga arts so she will be good enough to keep the dojo running after she retires. Mei is a close friend of Hiroka Kanzaki (Hitomi's mother) because they grew up together and have a lot of the same interest. She often gets together with Hitomi's mother and has evening tea. Yukari first met Hitomi during one of these get-togethers. Mei brought Yukari over to play with Hitomi when she was three years old and they have been best friends ever since. Mei wants the best for Yukari and pushes her to be the best at everything she sets out to do.

Kenji Uchida: Kenji is Yukari's Father and the son of Keung Uchida. He is 44 years old and he runs the family Dojo with the help of his wife, Mei. Their family dojo (known as the Sleeping Dragon) is a popular martial arts dojo in Tokyo. Kenji teaches sword classes at the dojo while is wife and daughter Yukari teach yoga classes. His daughter Yoko expressed an interest in learning sword when she was very young so Kenji has been teaching her the art of the samurai from a very early age. He trains Yoko constantly so she will be skilled enough to take his place as the sword instructor of the dojo when he retires. Kenji does not hold much for Japanese tradition (since he grew up in a house that had very European vales) and encourages his daughters to be tom boys.

Yoko Uchida: Yukari's sister. She is 16 years old and is training to be the sword master of her family's dojo. She is very gifted when it comes to fighting with weapons and dreams of becoming a sword master like her father. She goes to the same high school as Hitomi's brother, Takeo and has a crush on him. Yukari always teases her about liking Takeo and is always trying to hook them up. Yoko always denies that she likes Takeo and tells Yukari to mind her own business.

Note: All of the names of family members (save Hitomi's grandmother because her name was mentioned in the series)are a product of my own mind. They are not cannon to the series and were added to add depth to my book series. These characters (save Yuri) are not to be used without my consent because they are ORIGINAL. Cheers!

**Fanelia:**

Van Fanel: Now 18 years old, Van is the reining king of Fanelia. His council constantly pressures him to get married so he can produce an heir to take the throne after he dies, but Van has his heart set on Hitomi. He has refused to get married until he can find a way to bring Hitomi back from the Mystic Moon. Though his refusal to take a bride worries his council, they trust their king with their lives and respect his title of king. Van has become known throughout the land as being a very wise and magnanimous ruler and many kingdoms look to his system of government as an example for their own way of running things.

Merle Irini: Now 16 years old, Merle is the official governess of royal affairs and sits on the Gaean council. Her job is to act as an ambassador and greet visitors when they come to the palace. Though her body has matured a great deal in the three years Hitomi has been away, Merle still acts like the immature cat girl everyone came to know and love all those years ago. She is notorious for playing practical jokes on the other council members when she is off palace duty and often skips council meetings to hang out in the palace kitchen with the head cook Brenna. She is good friends with Brenna who often gives her samples of the fish dinners she cooks for royal affairs.

Hitomi Kanzaki: Now 18 years old, Hitomi longs to return to Gaea. Upon making a wish on a shooting star, the heavens grant her wish and she is brought back to Gaea with the help of her grandmother's spirit. Her grandmother warns her of the chaos that will soon rise on Gaea and explains that the spirit of Gaea summoned her soul back from the dead to help transport her to the world of Gaea. Hitomi arrives on Gaea and tries to warn everyone of the chaos that will soon rise but ends up getting caught up in an adventure that will not only determine the fate of Gaea, but of two other worlds.

Ruhm Idar: Now 28 years old, Ruhm sits on the Fanelian council with his daughter Farrah. They sit as representatives of the wolf clan that has built a city at the edge of Fanelia's border and offer wise council to the other members as well as blue prints for new technology. Ruhm has always been a close friend of the Fanel family and keeps a close eye on Van, serving as his the head of his royal guard when he is not sitting on the council. His daughter Farrah, named for the goddess of good luck, acts as the kingdom's ambassador and is always on the move establishing strong ties with the other kingdoms of Gaea.

Farrah Idar: Farrah is the19 year old daughter of Ruhm and was named after the Gaean goddess of good luck because her birth was something of a miracle. Her mother died before giving birth to her of an unknown sickness that was spreading through the village of Adon. It was the same sickness that killed Merle's parents many years ago and left many beast children homeless. But Farrah's father, Ruhm, was determined to at least save his daughter. As the leader of his tribe, Ruhm had formal training in the medical arts so he performed a c-section to save his unborn daughter. At first she did not breathe but all at once she opened her eyes and looked at her father for the first time. The village elder called her a miracle child and Ruhm agreed with her. Ruhm and his newborn daughter were evacuated out of the village shortly after. When he reached the safe haven of Fanelia, Ruhm decided to name his daughter after the goddess of good fortune since it was indeed a miracle that she survived. Farrah took to sword fighting at a very early age and excelled in all weapon combat styles. She could have become one of the master sword wielders of Gaea at ten years old had she kept on with her studies. But Farrah always preferred peaceful negotiations to forceful ones so she became an ambassador for her tribe at 15 years old. After the Gaean War, Farrah was offered a position as the official ambassador of the royal court of Fanelia by the reining king Van Fanel. Farrah accepted the position and sits on the Fanelian council of 14 with her father Ruhm, who is the head of royal guard.

**Elbrese:**

Yukari Uchida: Now 18 years old, Yukari is the manager of her high school track team and Hitomi's best friend. When Hitomi goes missing she sets out to find her with Amano and ends up meeting a woman named Sylvie. Sylvie helps Yukari and Amano get to Gaea and takes them to a cave in the Chatal Mountains. Sylvie explains that she has been training under a wizard named Gimis Brennor or "Gim the Red" in his cave-like home and that she is actually a mermaid. Gim helped cast an enchantment on her that allows her to be human as long as she is wearing pearls. Sylvie wishes to be human because she is on love with Dryden, who saved her from certain death aboard a fisherman's sail barge. Sylvie introduces Yukari and Amano to Gim the Red and his dragon companion, Yinn who is originally from the world of Fortulah. When Yinn sees Yukari he immediately recognizes her as the savior of his world by the pendant she is wearing around her neck. He proceeds to explain how Yukari's grandmother, Reiko Toshika, drove the evil out of his world 53 years ago. After telling Yukari of her ultimate destiny to save Fortulah, he begins training her in the art of "Kouta," a fighting style that uses spiritual magic to execute each move. After a few days of training, Yukari and Amano set out with Gimis, Yinn and Sylvie to warn the kingdoms of the rising chaos.

Amano Susumu: Now 20 years old, Amano is Yukari's boyfriend and is in college. He often visit's Yukari at the student union of Kama Kita High School during her lunch hour. Amano trains with Yukari's father in her family's dojo and is learning the art of the Samurai. When Hitomi goes missing, Amano accompanies Yukari on her mission to find her. He ends up getting transported to Gaea with Yukari and travels with Gimis, Sylvie and Yinn on their quest to warn the other kingdoms of the ensuing chaos. When Yukari's feelings for him are replaced by her love of Aden, Amano accepts the knowledge gracefully. He doesn't know why but he's always had a feeling that he would end up marrying someone else. When he meets Maydah it is love at first sight. He later marries her and becomes a member of the council of Elbrese, serving as the kingdom's interpreter, since he as always had a knack for learning new languages.

Aden Bareanthroes: Aden is the19 year old prince of Elbrese. He is the cousin of Van and looks very similar in appearance. His mother Sarai is the sister of Van's mother, Varie. Sarai ended up leaving the world Gaea when she met her true love Raylion in the Chatal Mountains. Raylion took her back to his world on an Ispano transport ship and married her shortly after, making her the Queen of Elbrese. Aden's father (Raylion) is one of the few survivors of the fall of Atlantis and has a set of permanent wings. As a resident of the world of Fortulah, Aden does not like to travel to the realm of Gaea unless it is absolutely necessary. Most people who reside in his kingdom are Atlanteans that survived the fall of the city and took up residence on the world of Fortulah to escape the discrimination they were often given on the world of Gaea. So Aden does not have a very good opinion of Gaean citizens in general. He is forced to leave Fortulah to seek its legendary protector on Gaea when Rhea appears after her 53 year imprisonment and starts reeking havoc on all of its kingdoms. He journeys to Gaea with the help of an old wizard named Cerbus who generates a pillar of light for him top travel there. Unfortunately, he is pursued by a pack of rogue beast man sent by Rhea to take his life, and they end up destroying the village where Dryden had made his home for the past three years. When the rogue beasts launch a stripped tree at his cousin Van, he pushes him out of the way just in the knick of time. Hitomi ends up finding the two cousins badly hurt in the woods and gets them immediate medical attention. It is in the medical tent that Aden reveals his true identity to Van and Hitomi and tells them of the Chaos that will soon befall the world of Gaea.

Maydah Durron: Maydah is 19 years old and is the former head of the Egzardian Royal Guard. She is a protégé of the two handed sword combat style and is a skilled archer. When she was 17, Maydah left her position as the head of the royal guard to pursuit other interests. She decided to become a traveling bard and tell stories to people as she traveled across the land. On her exploits she learned how to perform magic that enhanced her stories as she told them to her audiences. Maydah ends up helping Van and the others on their quest to save Gaea from the oppressive reign of Rhea. On her quest she develops a relationship with Amano and falls in love with him. When the war against Rhea is finally at an end, she travels to the world of Fortulah and becomes the court bard for the kingdom of Elbrese, after marrying Amano.

**Freid:**

Chid Zar Freid: Now 8 years old, Chid is the reining prince of Freid. To ensure the future of his kingdom, the council of 12 helps him take care of his royal affairs until he becomes old enough to rule his country on his own. The head of the council, Charnuus Arbean has engaged Chid to the second princess of Cesario, Olina, to strengthen the bonds between the two countries. When Chid is old enough to marry he will take Olina as his bride and be appointed the king of Fried.

Charnuus Arbean: The head of the council of 12 and current ruler of Fried. (Until Chid is old enough to take the throne.) Charnuus or "Charn" for short fiercely defends Chid claim to the throne of Fried and rules Freid with compassion and wisdom. He has adopted Chid as his son and is training him to be a great leader so he can one day rule the country on his own.

Te'kaur Swift: Though Te'kaur is only16 years old he has been appointed the position of the head of the royal guard. Te'kaur is a cat beast man from the village of Adon and is very skilled in all Gaean weapon arts. When Van and the others visit Freid to warn the kingdom of the rising chaos he meets Merle and almost immediately falls in love with her. Unfortunately Merle doesn't share the same opinion and is more annoyed with Te'kaur than anything else.

**Asturia:**

Allen Schezar: Now 24 years old, Allen is the reining king of Asturia. He married princess Millerna a year after the Gaean war and has been dealing with royal affairs ever since. He is a local war hero and one of the most popular kings to ever sit on the throne of his country. His position of one of the legendary knight of Caeli helped the council to accept his marriage to Princess Millerna and earned him the right to take up the armor of the past kings; a great accomplishment that even King Aston accomplished in his short reign. Allen trains new recruits of the Asturian royal guard and is the head general of his royal army as well as the king. Allen loves his wife very much and pushes himself to be a great king for the sake of all the people he governs.

Milerna Sara Aston: Now 18 years old, Millerna is the reigning queen of Asturia. After her sister stepped down from the throne to pursuit her dream of becoming a temple priestess for the god, Jeture, Millerna was given the reigning crown. She has been governing her country for three years with the help of her husband, Allen, whom she married after the war. A widely known and respected doctor, Millerna travels the countryside helping cure her people of ailments when she is not ruling over her kingdom. Allen supports her dream of being a doctor and runs the country when she is away helping cure her patients.

Eries Aria Aston: Now 24 years old, Eries stepped down from the throne of her kingdom and became a temple priestess for the god, Jeture. She moved into his sacred temple the day she stepped down from her county's throne and has lived there ever. She spent two years learning the ancient magic of "Kasa" a series of spells taught to all of the residents of the sacred temple so they can protect the temple's artifacts from thieves and can gain a better understanding of their own faith. Eries became the head priestess of the temple after only three years of training in the magic arts and she takes her role very seriously. She also sits on the Asturian council as a representative of the god Jeture and her people's faith. Her sister made sure that she had some power in the Asturian government after she left her role as queen and for this, Eries is eternally grateful to her. Whenever Eries visits the royal palace, she enjoys having long conversations with Millerna and talking to her about temple life. Though Eries is not particularly thrilled with Millerna's decision to marry Allen, she is very proud of her sister's accomplishments and often tells her that their father would be proud.

Gaddes Ohkawa: Now 26 years old, Gaddes is second in command of the Royal Asturian guard. He is also the head general of the Special Forces unit he made after the war, known as the "Black Ace" division. Gaddes' philosophy is that you can never have too much protection; especially in a war when you never know what your enemy is going to throw at you. So with the permission of Allen, he formed the Black Ace division and recruited all of the members of Allen's crusade. He regularly trains all of the men in his Special Forces unit as well as helping Allen train new recruits of the Asturian Royal Guard. When he's not busy training his men he sits on the Asturian council as the head military strategist.

The Crusade (Allen's Men): Katz, Kio, Reeden, Ort, Pyle and Teo make up the Special Forces unit known as the "Black Ace" division. Each man is trained in a specific weapon combat style that can easily rival some of the best warriors on Gaea in execution and precision. Each member has a seat on the Asturian Council though most of the men prefer not to get involved in royal affairs and usually do not attend the annule meetings. Their favorite past time is hanging out at the local brothels and hitting on the women who take up occupancy in them.

**Praizea:  
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Dryden Fassa: Now 24 years old, Dryden is the mayor of the village, Asterna, located in the kingdom of Fanelia. After the war, Dryden invested a great deal of his money towards buying materials and supplies to help Van re-build his kingdom. Van was humbled by Dryden's concern for his people and appointed him the head of Asterna when the construction of his kingdom was finally at an end. Dryden accepted the offer and has been governing over the people of Asterna ever since. Dryden's father took it upon himself to build him a palatial home in the center of the city to show his authority as the mayor. While Dryden did not see the point of having a lavish home in the Fanelian country side he let his father send contractors out to build it for him. The end result was quite astonishing. The house was filled with many new technologies that had just been tested by the Asturian government and the interior rivaled some of the palace rooms at the Asturian palace. Dryden didn't much care for the décor, but was grateful that his father had spent the time building his house and moved in shortly after it had been constructed. When Hitomi shows up at his door after being away for three years, Dryden is a bit shocked. He takes her in and promises that he will help her find Van in the morning. Unfortunately, before he gets the chance, his village is attacked by a pack of rogue beast men from the world of Fortulah. Concerned for Hitomi's safety, he sends her away from the village with a group of refugees and stays to fight off the imposing attack. He later meets up with Van and the others and is told about the ensuing chaos that will soon rein it's terror on the world of Gaea. He later helps fight in the war that helps put an end to Rhea's oppressive reign forever. During the war he meets Sylvie and falls on love with her. They are married shortly after the war is over. After the final battle, he decides to leave the world of Gaea and take up residence on Fortulah. One of the kingdoms, Praizea, has been without a true leader for many years and offers him the throne. He accepts it and he and Sylvie become the king and queen of the Praizea.

Sylvie Chey'donnie: Now 22 years old, Sylvie is an apprentice to the legendary wizard, Gim the Red. She hopes to one day become a powerful sorceress and use her powers to help other people. Her greatest wish is to find her love, Dryden, and become a full human. Sylvie was caught by Gim's fishing barge a year after the Gaean War. In order to save her life, Gim cast a spell on her that allowed her to retain a human form as long as she was wearing a stand of pearls around her neck. Grateful that Gim had saved her life, Sylvie became his personal assistant and when she was discovered to have a natural skill for casting magic spells, she became his apprentice. Sylvie told Gim about her feelings for Dryden and the red wizard took pity on her situation. So against his better judgment, he gave her a potion that allowed her to become a full human; but only when her true love kissed her in a moment of genuine passion. Sylvie took the potion and thanked Gim, but Gim warned her that the potion would turn to venom in her veins if she was not kissed by her true love. Sylvie understood that her decision could lead to her death but felt like it was worth the risk. So she has been living with the effects of the potion ever since. When Gim learns of the chaos that will soon make its way to Gaea he sends Sylvie to find the protector of the world of Fortulah. Sylvie sees it as an opportunity to test her magic abilities and with the help of her master she generates a pillar of light that takes her to the mystic moon. After finding Yukari (and a very confused Amano) she takes the pair back to her master's home in the Chatal Mountains and tells them of the chaos that will soon engulf the world of Gaea. She later meets up with Dryden and ends up marrying him after Rhea is defeated once and for all. When her training is complete she travels to Fortulah with Dryden and together they become the new king and queen of the kingdom of Praizea.

Rina Li: Rina is 20 years old and is widely known for her thieving skills, proficiency with ranged weapons (such as long bow and crossbow) and tendency to get in trouble with the law. Originally from the kingdom of Daedalus, she was banished for impersonating the queen in order to get money from the local peasants. After the Gaean War she ended up in Dryden's village and opened a weapon shop. All the items in the store were battle ready mechanisms, armor and weapons that she stole from a Zaibach Storehouse shortly after the war was over. She established a good business relationship with Dryden over the year she stayed in the village and ended up becoming legitimate shop keeper after Dryden donated a lot of his personal time and money to help keep her business running. While her business is legitimate, she will do any task a client asks her to do for the right amount of money. She once even used her skills to serve as an assassin. Rina ends up traveling Van and the others when the new chaos arises on Gaea, offering her unique skills when they are in need of them. Later she decides to go to the world of Fortulah (where she doesn't have a bad name) to start a new life. When Dryden becomes King of Praizea, he appoints Rina the head of royal guard and she sits on his royal council of 14. She later opens a weapon shop in Praizea where she sells armor and weapons of her own design.

Note: Praizea is one of the twelve kingdoms of Fortulah that has been without a true leader for 100 years. Dryden ends up becoming the king and governing over all of the kingdom's people with his wife, Sylvie.

**Khauleron: **

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**Celena Norindon: Now 18 years old, Celena is the reining queen of Khauleron. A year after the Gaean war she met the prince of Khauleron, Alastair Norindon at an Asturian place ball being held to celebrate the restoration of Asturia. Before their fateful meeting, Asturia did not have a good relationship with Khauleron, the primary kingdom of the elves. They had always been at war with one another and did not agree with each other's politics. Alastair had been invited to the ball by Allen, who was desperately trying to form a good relationship between the two kingdoms ending the war between the two countries once and for all. Alastair was not planning on making peace with Asturia (no matter how many gifts they offered him at the ball) but when he laid eyes on Celena it was love at first sight. When Alastair learned that she was Allen's sister, he asked her for her hand in marriage and reluctantly signed a peace treaty. Celena married her husband shortly after the ball and their union establishes a close bond between the kingdoms of Khauleron and Asturia. When Alastair was married, the former king and queen stepped down and he and Celena became the king and queen of Khauleron. Celena love her husband and has a real heart for her people. Because she shows a genuine concern for her people she is regarded as one of the best queens to ever head the kingdom of Khauleron and is a favorite among the locals.

Alastair Norindon: Alastair is the 19 years old king of Khauleron. He fell in love with Allen's sister, Celena at a ball held in the Asturian royal palace and married her shortly after. His love for Celena helped form a close bond between the kingdoms of Khauleron and Asturia which had been at war with one another for many years. While he does not agree with Asturia's system of government, he has learned to respect its culture and have a friendly relationship with its people. After taking the throne of his kingdom, Alastair's mother became the head of the royal council of 7. His father became the head of his kingdom's army, replacing a general that died in a skirmish with Asturia. Alastair is very proud of his Elvin heritage and rules over his people with compassion and wisdom. He is a local favorite because he is the only king to have established a long lasting relationship with the kingdom of Asturia.

The Mole Man: Now 48 years old, the Mole Man has taken up residence in the Royal palace of Khauleron. After the Gaean war, Allen asked the Mole Man watch over his sister, Celena, to ensure her safety. The Mole Man agreed reluctantly, since he knew he owned Allen for stealing a jewelry box from Millerna's room. At first the Mole Man was not happy with his position as the resident "baby sitter" but he ended up forming a close (and often times humorous) relationship with Allen's sister. When Celena was married to Alastair, she offered him a position in the royal court of Khauleron and he accepted. He is now the head of architecture for the royal palace of Khauleron since he has a knack for building and designing things. He takes it upon himself to keep a close eye on Celena (even though his days of baby sitting are over) and he keeps Allen informed about everything that's going on in the palace. He gave up his days of stealing things (since he is a resident of a palace and is given anything he wants) but he still enjoys digging tunnels. He created a system of tunnels underneath the royal palace of Khauleron that can be used as an escape route if the palace is ever invaded by enemy forces. When Alastair discovered the tunnel system underneath the palace he was impressed with the Mole Man's work and asked him to design a military fortress for his father, Varris. The Mole Man agreed to work on the project and after a year it was finished. Khauleron now boasts having one of the most advanced Military fortresses on the world, thanks to the Mole Man's brilliant architectural designs.

Amelia Mary Earhart: Amelia is the head of Khauleron's special air force unit known as the "Red Moon" which is used as a backup if the kingdom's royal military is disbanded during a battle. Each member of the Red Moon is a highly trained in stealth pilot techniques and can use their flying craft as a weapon against an enemy force. Rumor has it that Amelia was once a resident of the Mystic Moon but no one has ever asked her about her past. Also known as the "Sky Fox," Amelia is the best pilot on Gaea and is an excellent leader. Her best attributes are her intelligence and quick wit which both serve to get her out of the trouble she always seems to find herself in.

**New Characters (Gaea):   
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Te'kaur Swift: Head of the royal guard of Freid

Farrah Idar: Ambassador of the royal court of Fanelia

King Orduun of Cesario  
Queen Lita of Cesario  
Princess Aben: First Princess of Cesario.  
Princess Olina: Second Princess of Cesario (She is engaged to Prince Chid.)

Jaeven Igus: Head of the royal guard of Cesario

First Son Keldor of Basram  
First Lady Ezerela of Basram  
President Jarris of Basram

Cornelius Halstead: Head of the royal guard of Basram

King Hayden of Egzardia  
Queen Ibella of Egzardia  
Prince Majii of Egzardia  
Maydah Durron: Former head of the Egzardian Royal Guard

Roarke Joachim: Current head of the Egzardian Royal Guard

King Talen of Daedalus  
Queen Eliza of Daedalus  
Princess Melody of Daedalus  
Prince Jacob of Daedalus

Brenton Channing: Head of the royal guard of Daedalus

Rina Li: Former ambassador for the kingdom of Daedalus

King Phayduus of Ceous Zaiban

Queen Gwendolyn of Ceous Zaiban

Prince Orion of Ceous Zaiban

Princess Rayzael of Ceous Zaiban

Astrid Gunnar: Head of the royal guard of Ceous Zaiban

King Ivan of Argous

Queen Juana of Argous

Princess Susan of Argous

Duchess Giovanna of Argous

Thanasi Saber: Head of the Royal guard of Argous

Note: Argous is the kingdom of the dwarves. It is one of the three kingdoms that share a border with Fanelia.

King Janos of Erskine

Queen Aniela of Erskine

Prince Theyodor: First prince of Erskine

Prince Wilhelm: Second prince of Erskine

Oleg Reinstar: Head of the royal guard of Erskine

King Roen of Xenos

Queen Yael of Xenos

Princess Tara: First princess of Xenos

Princess Fiona: Second princess of Xenos

Athena Kaliope: Head of the royal guard of Xenos

Note: Xenos is the kingdom of the beast men. It is one of the three kingdoms that share a border with the kingdom of Fanelia.

King Alastair Norindon of Khauleron  
Maejina Norindon: The head of state of the kingdom of Khauleron (Alastair's mother)

Varris Norindon: Head the royal military of Khauleron (Alastair's father)

Amelia Mary Earhart: Head of the special air force unit of Khauleron

Note: Khauleron is the kingdom of the elves. It lies on an island a few miles off shore of the kingdom of Asturia.

**New Characters (Fortulah):**

King Raylion of Elbrese

Queen Sarai of Elbrese

Prince Aden of Elbrese

Orestes Phayren: Head of royal guard of Elbrese

King Dryden of Praizea

Queen Sylvie of Praizea

Princess Amethyst of Praizea

Rina Li: Head of the royal guard of Praizea

King Sal of Aeyda

Queen Emaruad of Aeyda

Princess June of Aeyda

Princess Violet of Aeyda

Boris Genkeep: Head of the royal guard of Aeyda

King Baird of Xylon

Queen Jacinda of Xylon

Prince Aster of Xylon

Prince Caleb of Xylon

Marcos Denhi: Head of the royal guard of Xylon

King Isaac of Malachi

Queen Tatiana of Malachi

Prince Braden of Malachi

Princess Ruby of Malachi

Kara Edensmore: Head of the royal guard of Malachi

King Osmond of Silas

Queen Lucy of Silas

Princess Roselyn of Silas

Prince David of Silas

Ida Yurgaan: Head of the royal guard of Silas

King Phillip of Waldmar

Queen Helena of Waldmar

Princess Garnet of Waldmar

Prince Torston of Waldmar

Ren Forsyth: Head of the royal guard of Waldmar

King Logan of Raleigh

Queen Annabelle of Raleigh

Princess June of Raleigh

Princess Calendula of Raleigh

Terrance Dynaar: Head of the royal guard of Raleigh

King Tobias of Uriah

Queen Susan of Uriah

Princess Arinia of Uriah

Prince Gladiolus of Uriah

Groban Persi: Head of the royal guard of Uriah

King Galvin of Heynar

Queen Samara of Heynar

Prince Felix of Heynar

Tarn Borgen: Head of the royal guard of Heynar

King Chandler of Trahern

Queen Elizabeth of Trahern

Princess Althea of Trahern

Ulysses Mydar: Head of the royal guard of Trahern

King Weston of Lazarus

Queen Victoria of Lazarus

Prince Harold of Lazarus

Fenn Anwey: Head of the royal guard of Lazarus

Note: All of the characters in this section (save Dryden and Sylvie) are completely original and are not to be used without my consent. Cheers!

**Other New Characters:**

Gimis Brennor: Red Wizard of Chatal (Also known as Gim the Red.) He is 256 years old.  
Yinn: A Green dragon who dwells in the Chatal Mountains and is a companion to Gimis. Yinn is 2,000 years old.

Rhea: A sorceress from the world of Fortulah who wishes to destroy all things in order to bring balance back to her world. She spares the lives of those who join her and kills those who do not. She is the founder of the Black Jewel Organization. All in the organization follow "the way," a written text that holds the sacred rituals of the organization. Organization members are identified by a tattoo of a black dragon on their left arm, and a necklace with two serpents that they wear around their neck.  
Rhezia: Goddess of Destruction  
Gaea: Spirit of the world

Fortulah: Spirit of the world

Note: All characters in this portion are completely original and are not to be used without asking me first. I do not own Escaflowne (though I wish I did...--) so please do not sue me for being creative with its story line and characters, as I am poor and couldn't pay you the money anyway. Cheers!

**Kingdoms of Gaea:**

Fanelia: Known as the "Emerald of the Dragon Valley," the kingdom of Fanelia was rebuilt shortly after the fall of the Zaibach Empire and is currently ruled by only surviving member royal family, Van Fanel. Made grander than before, it rivals Asturia in beauty and architectural designs. Fanelia has become a major trade city and has set the standard of how a kingdom should be run over the last three years.

Freid: Fried is an ancient country with deep spiritual and religious roots. It was rebuilt two years after the fall of the Zaibach Empire and is currently ruled by prince Chid. The temple of Fortuna which lies on the outskirts of Freid is still undergoing construction. Chid was appointed Freid's ruler in the place of his father a year after the Gaean War. It's main royal affairs are taken care of the head council member Charnuus until Chid is old enough to run the country on his own.

Egzardia: Egzardia is a neighboring county of Asturia that is known for its exquisite fashion and art style. It is governed by King Hayden and queen Ibella who prefer to keep peace rather than wage war against other countries. For this reason, they did not join the allied forces in the fight against the Zaibach Empire until the very end of the war when they had no choice but fight for the freedom of Gaea.

Asturia: King Aston the first (King Aston's grandfather) established the kingdom of Asturia from a cluster of formally un-united towns and villages and transformed it into a thriving merchant power. Much of the economy of Gaea flows through Asturia; especially through the splendid bays and canals of the Capital city of Palas. Upon the death of King Aston, Eries was named the queen of Asturia but renounced her title to become a temple priestess for the god, Jeture. Millerna then took up the position of queen and married Allen, who became the king of Asturia.

Basram: Basram is Gaea's first country to employ a republican from of government. It leads the wave of modernization gradually enveloping Gaea and rivals Zaibach in the ominous application of technology. Since their rulers are elected every four years, Basram is constantly being replaced by new rulers. The current rulers of the kingdom are President Jarris and his wife, first lady Ezerela.

Cesario: Cesario is another neighboring country of Asturia. It possesses the most ancient culture of Asturia's neighboring countries and is known for the emphasis it's rulers place on chivalry. The current rulers of Cesario are king Orduun and queen Lita. Their youngest daughter, Olina, is engaged to prince Chid and will marry him when she comes of age. The arranged marriage was put in place to form a close bond between Freid and Cesario. Olina doesn't mind the engagement as she has always had a crush on prince Chid. She looks forward to her fifteenth birthday when she can finally marry her one true love.

Daedalus: Daedalus is yet another country that shares a border with Asturia. It is known for it's deep connection with the city of Atlantis and is home to many draconians. The current rulers of Daedalus are king Talen and Queen Eliza.

Ceous Zaiban: Ceous Zaiban literally translates to "Neo Zaibach" in the Gaean tongue. After the fall of Dornkirk it was appointed new rulers by the world council. The current king and queen, Phayduus and Gwendolyn decided to change its name so the scars of the past could be laid to rest. They decided to name it Ceous Zaiban to mark a new era in their country and the change of it's government. All technology that was left in the original Zaibach Empire was destroyed, along with any remaining information regarding the city of Atlantis so no one would try to employ it's power over Gaea again. Ceous Zaiban is an empire of industrial age spires and techno-urban architecture. A lot of new technology that is used throughout the world comes from the scientists who make their home in the capital city.

Argous: Argous is one of the three countries that share a border with the kingdom of Fanelia. It is the kingdom of the dwarves and is governed by King Ivan and Queen Juana. The city rests on top of a complex system of caves that house precious stones and minerals that are used for making the currency of Gaea. The dwarves regularly transport the gems and precious minerals out of their mines to all of the different kingdoms of Gaea. The dwarves have learned to tame the land dragons of the surrounding area to pull heavy equipment that assists them in the up keeping and constant growth of their mining operation.

Erskine: Erskine literally means, "From the height of the cliffs" in the Gaean tongue. The first king built the capital city of Aylaar on top of a great cliff overlooking the western ocean of Yarben. Legend has it that he asked his eldest daughter to give the newly formed kingdom a name. After much thought on the matter, she decided to call the kingdom Erskine, not only because it was position high above the ocean waves, but because it was symbolic of the kingdoms endless nobility. Erskine is currently ruled by King Janos and Queen Aniela who are widely known for their generosity.

Xenos: Xenos is a loose translation of the word "stranger" in the Gaean tongue. It was named for its inhabitants, which are primary beast men. Most people of Xenos do not like outsiders and have never left the kingdom's borders. Beast men who leave the city generally do not return because they know they will be ostracized by the people of their kingdom for mixing with "outsiders." King Roen and Queen Yael are the current rulers of Xenos and refuse to make contact with any of the other kingdoms but Fanelia, whom ha always been their most trusted ally.

Khauleron: Khauleron is the kingdom of the elves. It is located on an island that is located a few miles off shore of the kingdom of Asturia. Khauleron is widely known for its beautiful architecture and is home to many artisans. Many popular folk songs of Gaea originated within the city walls of the capital city of Sey'een, which is home to many famous musicians. King Alastair and Queen Celena are the current rulers of the kingdom and reside in the Jade palace, which is noted as being one of the twelve architectural wonders of the world.

Note: These are the twelve kingdoms of Gaea. I have made up a few of these kingdoms and they should not be used without my consent. An "" next to the kingdom's name will indicate which of the twelve kingdoms I have made up. You are not to use any of the names or ideas of my original kingdoms without my consent. I'd be happy to let you use them if you asked, however. So please be kind; don't steal what's mine! Cheers!

**Kingdoms of Fortulah:**

Note: These are the twelve kingdoms of the world of Fortulah. All of them are original and are not to be used without my consent.

Elbrese: Elbrese means "the sacred land" in the language of Fortulah. It is primarily home to the draconians, though a few Atlanteans dwell within the kingdom's boundaries as well. The capital city of K'yarn is located between two mountains which serve as a natural barrier against invading armies. The current rulers of Elbrese are Queen Sarai and King Raylion. Their son, Aden, is old enough to take the throne but cannot officially claim his right as the kingdom's leader until he is married.

Praizea: Praizea means "from the sea" in the language of Fortulah. It is named for its inhabitants which are primarily "Moon Hein," or people that turn into mermaids as soon as their bodies touch the water. The kingdom rests on top of a cliff that overlooks the Kardean Sea and is a huge trade city. Praizea has been without an official ruler for three generations. Dryden and Sylvie later become the queen and king of Praizea, after being asked to rule the kingdom by the council of seven.

Aeyda: Aeyda means "refuge" in the language of Fortulah. It is named for its roots as a refugee safe haven during a territorial war that took place two hundred years ago. The castle, located in the capital city of Orn, originally served as a fortress during the war. When the villages of the land were just beginning to unite they had border disputes with the neighboring country of Waldmar. The Ralthaan Fortress (now the imperial castle of Aeyda) served as a protective barrier against the invading armies of Waldmar. Now Aeyda is a flourishing metropolis and is one of the most technologically advanced kingdoms on Fortulah. Its current rulers are King Sal and Queen Emaruad who have been happily reigning over their kingdom for many years.

Xylon: Xylon means "from the forest" in the language of Fortulah and is the kingdom of the elves. It is named for its location in one of Fortulah's largest forests; the forest of Andaar. It shares a border with Uriah and has established good trade with all of the kingdoms of Fortulah. The current rulers of Xylon are King Baird and Queen Jacinda. Xylon is also home to the dryads who take up residence in the Andaar Forest's trees. Many people consider the forest to be sacred since the dryads are inhabitants of it and tie gifts to the trunks of the trees to show their respect for the tree spirits.

Malachi: Means "the city of angels" in the language of Fortulah. It is the kingdom of the Atlanteans who survived the fall of Atlantis thousands of years ago. All of the people in the city have a pair of permanent wings and keep the ancient traditions of Atlantis alive. Many great sorcerers and wizards of the world of Fortulah take up residence in the capital city of Lana, which holds the world's most extensive library. The current rulers of Malachi are King Isaac and Queen Tatiana.

Silas: Silas is named after the god of the forest who bares the same name. It is rumored that its people have ties to the Mystic Moon because some residents of the kingdom speak fluent English and Japanese. The current rulers of Silas are King Osmond and Queen Lucy who can each speak a variation of old English. The kingdom is located in the forest of Chaern where the God Silas is said to take up residence on the world. The capital city of Ogeen is located behind a water fall hidden deep within the forest.

Waldmar: Waldmar means "powerful and famous" in the language of Fortulah. It is the kingdom of the dwarves and is governed by King Phillip and Queen Helena. Waldmar is named for the wealth the dwarves hold with their capital city of Dalmar. As primary owners of most of the valuable mines on Fortulah, it is a very rich kingdom filled with culture and lavishly furnished homes. Most of the jewels and precious metals of the world are mined within the city borders and transported to the other kingdoms via air ships.

Raleigh: Raleigh means "from the deer meadow" in the language of Fortulah. It is named for its residents, the centaur and the faun, whom take up residence there. The current rulers of Raleigh are King Logan and Queen Annabelle, whom are centaurs. Raleigh is widely known for its long lasting festivals which go on throughout the year and its architecture. Raleigh is also a large export of food and wine. Its residents like meeting new people and are friendly with all the other kingdoms of Fortulah.

Uriah: Uriah means "the god's light" in the language of Fortulah. It is in the city of Uriah that the spirit of the world, Fortulah herself, appeared at the dawn of the world and appointed the first rulers of each kingdom. A great temple was erected in the middle of the capital city of Lunas to honor her appearance in the beginning of all things and is one of the twelve wonders of the world. The current rulers are King Tobias and Queen Susan whose family roots are deeply connected with the priests of the Lunas temple. The people of Uriah are an enlightened people. Their skin has a faint glow to it and each Uriahaan is born with a crystal embedded on the top of their forehead. Their capital city is considered to be sacred by the residents of Fortulah and many people take a Mecca to the city to complete their personal journeys of enlightenment.

Heynar: Heynar means "labyrinth" in the language of Fortulah. It is named for series of complex labyrinths that were built around the castle of Cardell located in the capital city of Yaona to keep out imposing forces. The current rulers of the kingdom are King Galvin and Queen Samara. Heynar is the kingdom of the giants and is located on the eastern shore of the world where the beaches are rocky and the trees grow close together on the cliff sides overlooking the ocean below. Its people have good relations with all the kingdoms of Fortulah but prefer to keep to themselves unless it is absolutely necessary to do trade with the other kingdoms.

Trahern: Trahern means "strong as iron" in the language of Fortulah. It is the kingdom of the Ispano and is named for the buildings which are all made from some various kinds of metals. The current leaders of Trahern are King Chandler and Queen Elizabeth; the only Ispano's to hold human names besides their cybernetic daughter, Althea. The rest of the Ispano usually address one another by complex mathematical codes or the number of eyes they have been issued. Trahern is the most technologically advanced kingdom on Fortulah and is filled with the ancient magic of Atlantis. The Ispano keep most of the technology they develop within capital city under wraps until they perfect it. When they complete a new project, they spread their new invention to all the kingdoms of Fortulah and Gaea. The Ispano like to share their technological knowledge with all of the different races of both worlds and are renowned for their intelligence and wisdom.

Lazarus: Lazarus means "the city of the dead" in the language of Fortulah. It is named for a curse that was put on its residents during the first rise of Rhea. When the original rulers refused to give into her commands she slaughtered everyone in capital city of Trezon and then resurrected them to do her bidding. When she was defeated, the spell over the city was broken and the people returned to their graves to rest in peace. The only surviving member of the royal family, Prince Weston, was appointed the new king at only two years old. When he reached the age of fifteen, Prince Weston married a common woman who he fell in love with during a palace banquet. Now 55 years old, King Weston still rules over the city with his wife Queen Victoria and will continue to do so until their son, Harold, is ready to take a bride.

**Worlds:**

Earth: To the residents of Gaea, Earth is known as the Mystic Moon. Most recognize Earth as a planet that supports life forms similar to their own but few know that the planet was once home to the city of Atlantis. It was within the walls of the city of Atlantis that its people begged the heavens for a new world free of war and pain. From their wishes came the world of Gaea, a sister planet to the Mystic Moon. Many people regard the people of the Mystic moon to be either strange or cursed but they are met with respect just the same. When Hitomi came to Gaea and ended up helping her friends in the Gaean War many people started to change their opinion about the inhabitants of the Mystic Moon. Some even believed it was one of the seven gates of heaven from the ancient Gaean myths. Because of this belief, people started calling inhabitants of the Mystic Moon Fearashen, or Gods (for woman Fereas or goddesses) and started treated all of the new travelers into their world with the greatest respect.

Gaea: Gaea is a world that was created by the wishes of the Atlanteans during the fall of Atlantis. The last wish of the Atlanteans was to have a world where their ancestors could live without war or pain. The Atlantis Machine granted their wish and from each prayer came one of the many different races of Gaea. The ancestors of the Atlanteans were the first to step on the world. These people were called the Draconians because of their ability to sprout wings. Many people on Gaea later considered them to be a cursed race after they discovered that their ancestors where responsible for the fall of Atlantis. Many creatures from the ancient world came to live on Gaea as the ages progressed. Gaea is perhaps one of the only worlds in our immediate galaxy (besides Fortulah) where one can still find dragons, griffins and all of the other fantasy creatures from legend. Magic and technology work together to make Gaea a world of enchantment and wonder that a visitor from our world would soon not forget.

**New Worlds**

Fortulah: Fortulah is a world above Gaea that was made from the Ispano's wishes during the fall of Atlantis. Like Gaea, it has many different fantasy creatures as its inhabitants; including Draconians. Most inhabitants of the world do not take kindly to visitors of any sort as they prefer to be isolated from their cousins who reside on Gaea and the Mystic Moon.   


All new worlds are made by me and are not to be used without my consent. Cheers!


	2. The Missing Card

Chapter One:

The Missing card

Three years had passed since Hitomi had been brought to the magical realm of Gaea, and was returned to her home in Japan. She went back to school and got involved with track for the third year, joining the female varsity division. She hung out with her old friends and even got a job working in her family's restaurant, the "Emerald Dragon Sushi Bar." Her father, Masao, was pleased that she was finally taking an interest in the family business and trained her to be the restaurant's hostess. Hitomi's brother, Takeo, had started to wait tables that same year and had begun his training as the restaurants head chef.

It was decided long ago that Takeo would take over the family business when her parents retired and that Hitomi would handle the financial matters. Her mother, Hiroka had tried to show Hitomi how to run the business when she was very young but she never had a knack for handling money. So when she was fifteen years old she gave up her position of restaurant manager to pursue her personal dream of becoming a published writer. Hiroka offered the position to Hitomi's cousin, Reiko when she turned down the management position her freshman year of high school. Reiko was happy to take Hitomi's place in the family business, since it was her dream to become a restaurant manager, so she accepted the position graciously. Hiroka had been teaching Reiko how to manage the family business ever since.

While Hitomi did not plan on working in her family's restaurant forever, the pay was good and she had a place to hang out with her friends when she got off of school. It was a good set up for everyone; especially Yukari and Amano who could eat as much Sushi as they liked without having to pay for it. Yukari loved visiting Hitomi at her job for this very reason. Likewise, Hitomi liked visiting Yukari at her family's dojo, the "Sleeping Dragon," because she could learn new Yoga techniques without having to pay a monthly fee like the rest of the students who attended the weekly classes.

Hitomi visited her friend so often that Yukari' mother, Mei offered to give her free ride at the dojo. Hitomi accepted Mei's offer and stared taking sword fighting lessons from Yukari's father, Kenji. After four months of training she became quite skilled in the art of Katana and bow staff. On the days she had off work she also trained under Yukari's sister, Yoko. Yoko had been training to become the head of her family's dojo since she was five years old and was very skilled at all weapon styles. She had shown an interest in taking her father's place at a very young age so the Uchida family decided to sign the title of the Dojo over to her when they retired.

Yukari had been training in the art of Yoga since she was seven years old and assisted her mother in teaching all of the Yoga classes. She was very flexible and Mrs. Uchida had often encouraged her to be a competitive gymnast. But Yukari never took an interest in the sport, much to Mei's disappointment. She preferred to be in charge of a sports team rather than be a part of one, which is why she enjoyed her long standing position as the Kama Kita High School's track team manager.

She decided to help her sister, Yoko, run the family business when her parents retired. Her parents were happy with the arrangement and decided to leave half of the business to Yukari. Until her parents retired, Yukari would help her mother teach Yoga classes at the Dojo and eventually teach a few of her own. Yukari was pleased with her family's agreement and had been teaching Yoga classes ever since. Hitomi would often head to the Uchida's Dojo after school to get in a few hours of training before heading off to work at The Emerald Dragon.

Life was good and there wasn't much Hitomi had to complain about. After all; she was only five months away from graduating from her high school and moving into an apartment with Yukari and Amano. But even though she was content with her life on earth, she longed to be back on Gaea. She wanted to see her friends and the magical world of Gaea, now that the Zaibach Empire was defeated.

More than anything, Hitomi longed to see Van. She would often find herself day dreaming about him in her classes, and on calm nights when she would look out her bedroom window up to the stars, she would secretly wish to be at his side. She knew her chances of getting back to Gaea were very slim; especially since had she given her necklace to Van before she left. But she never stopped hoping that one day she could go back, and kept the memory of her visit alive in her heart.

On one especially calm night, Hitomi spotted a shooting star drifting slowly across the sky and drew one of Van's feathers to her heart. "Please let me see him again…if I am never granted another wish as long as I live I don't care, but please grant me this; I wish I can visit Gaea just one more time!" The star shined brightly over the horizon and then slowly drifted out of sight as Hitomi made her wish. When the star diminished into the night sky, she closed her eyes and pictured Gaea in her mind.

She always had the same vision; a great castle looming over a beautiful kingdom at the base of a valley made of crystal. She would see Van proudly standing at the balcony of his castle and admiring his kingdom in the valley. He would always pull her pendant to his heart and look up to her planet longingly. As she saw the image of van she reached out with her spirit to speak to him. "Don't worry Van. Someday I will come back; I promise."

The image of Van stared deeper at the mystic moon, as if he had really heard Hitomi speak to him, and then sadly walked back into his castle. Hitomi opened her eyes and fought back tears as she held his feather tighter. "Please let me go back…" She whispered to herself as she put van's feather in a music box her Grandmother had given her and drifted off into a deep slumber.

The next morning, she woke to find her Tarot cards scattered across her desk. "The wind must have blown them…" She thought to herself as she scooped them off her desk and in to her hands. "Let's see they all seem to be here…except for the dragon. I wonder where it is…" She thought to herself as she fingered through the card deck to make sure all of them were there.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw her card fall delicately out her window. Hitomi gasped and ran to catch it, but by the time she reached the window it was already too late; her card had fallen to the ground and was being pushed by the wind down her block. Thinking quickly she stuffed her cards into her school uniform pocket, ran down the stairway leading up to her room, and out the front door of her house to chase after it. For a while, she couldn't see anything, but as she turned the corner of Cherry blossom and peach tree drive she caught sight of her card flying gracefully toward her school's track field.

Hitomi took a deep breath and angled her feet downward so she could run more efficiently. She followed the card closely as she reached the fence of her school's track field and jumped over it She was almost within reach of the card when a sudden gust of wind pulled it away from her hands and sent it flying in another direction. Too exhausted to pursue her card any longer, Hitomi collapsed on the racetrack to regain her breath and helplessly watched as her card seemed to disappear into the distance.

Back on Gaea, Van was adjusting to life as a king. With his country restored and Fanelia built even grander then it had been before, he had many responsibilities to attend to. Everyday, when he wasn't too busy with royal affairs, he would lie back against a tree in one of his palace's gardens and look up at the Phantom moon peacefully to think about Hitomi. He would picture her on her world helping people as she always had helped him when she was in Gaea at his side. Since he had only seen a bit of her world, sometimes it was hard for him to picture what she was doing on her planet and this made him a bit frustrated.

On one of these occasions, he tried to remember how Hitomi had described it. _"She said it wasn't too unlike my own; it too has problems with war and hate, but there are also places that are so beautiful that you almost forget about all the things that are bad. She said she was part of something called a "track team." a place where you learn the ways of the warrior and how to run faster then dragons. At least, I think that is what it is…Oh, I wish I had paid attention to her closer when she told me what her world was like! Maybe someday she will be able to tell me herself."_ He thought dreamily as he looked up to the Phantom moon and pictured Hitomi slaying dragons elegantly with a sword forged by one of the gods of his planet.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as he caught sight of a small object flying toward him. "I wonder what that is." He thought to himself as he stood up from his place beside the tree and walked toward the object. As he approached it, the object fell from the sky and landed in a plant near the entrance. Grabbing his sword, he ran toward the golden gates of the garden and approached the strange object.

In the purple bush where it had landed, he made out two red eyes and reptilian wings. "A dragon; I thought that they only resided in the forests outside of Laensarra! I don't think it notices that I'm here; I'll just draw it out with my sword and then smite it with one quick blow!" He said quietly to himself, as he attempted to lure it out with his sword. He was surprised to see the dragon retreat further into the bush. _"I have never known a dragon to retreat when it has been provoked. This one must be hurt; that would explain why it fell from the sky. Well, I suppose it can't do too much harm if it is injured. I'll help it out." _Van thought to himself as he put his sword back in its sheath and reached in to grab it.

When he put his hand around the object he was surprised to feel paper instead of the usual dry scales of a dragon. "Maybe this is a new breed…" He thought to himself as he pulled the dragon out of the bush. When he caught sight of the object he was startled to see that it wasn't a dragon at all; just a picture of one drawn on a card. He laughed at himself for thinking it was a dragon and then put the card in his belt. "This will make an interesting hunting story." Van mused to himself as he regained his place under the Sycamore tree in his garden. When he was back under his tree he pulled out the card again and looked at the picture. He turned it around and gasped as he saw an inscription, which read; "To Hitomi Kanzaki from grandma; may you find good fortune with these cards."

Van leaped from his place and stared toward the distance. "This…is one of Hitomi's Tarot cards! I can't believe I didn't recognize it before! If one of her cards is here it must mean Hitomi isn't too far! But…how can it be? She doesn't have any way of getting back. She gave me the Pendant and I haven't been able to learn its power. But maybe she found another way to come here! I have to contact Allen and Milerna right away; I'm going to need help finding her if she is here. Wherever you are Hitomi please wait for me…" Van whispered to himself as he grabbed his cloak off a near-by trellis and ran toward his palace to tell Merle the news.

Hitomi continued to sit on the track field after she desperately watched her Tarot card fly off into the distance. Normally she didn't care about material objects, but her set of Tarot cards was one of the only memories she had left of her Grandmother before she died, and of Gaea, where her skills of reading the cards helped her friends many times during the war with Dornkirk and the Zaibach Empire. Loosing a card from her deck was like loosing a piece of her memories of the two things she cherished most. Feeling rather dejected, Hitomi stood up from the race track after catching her breath and began to head back to her house. As she turned to leave, a great light fell on the track field.

Hitomi turned around in surprise and gasped as she saw a woman with long black hair, green eyes, and silver wings descend onto the track field from the beam of light. When she saw the woman's face she took a few steps back in fear. It was her grandmother. Sensing her granddaughter's fear, the woman walked toward Hitomi and embraced her. "My dear grandchild; It has been so long since I have seen you. Do not fear me. I only come to deliver you a message from the heavens. Last night when you wished you could return to Gaea, your prayers fell upon the ears of the spirit who governs the world you cherish so much. She has asked me to summon you back into this world, for you are needed there to once more to stop the chaos which will soon rise." Hitomi hugged her grandmother back and then looked at her with question in her eyes.

"I am glad to see you again too. I have missed you so much since you have died. But there is one thing I don't understand. When I left Gaea, the Zaibach Empire was defeated and the peace of the world was restored. How could chaos arise when it has just been stopped? And even though I would give anything to go back to Gaea, how am I going to help stop this chaos?" Hitomi's grandmother smiled and looked at Hitomi warmly with her soft green eyes. "Dear Hitomi, you should know better then most that evil is ever present in the spiritual and in the hearts of man. It is true that good will always triumph over it in the end, but it will always arise when it has the chance to do so. And this is what happens now on Gaea. Good has triumphed over the Zaibach Empire, but there are still men and woman who seek revenge for its defeat. If you believe in your abilities and return to Gaea with this knowledge, then you will be able to defeat it before it causes to harm to the ones you love."

Hitomi nodded and smiled toward her Grandmother. "Then I'm ready to go and face the troubles that will arise in Gaea. But how do I get there? I have tried many times before and failed." Hitomi's grandmother stretched out her wings and took Hitomi's hand into hers. "That is because one can only come into Gaea by its will. Now that it has willed you to come, you will have no problem journeying there. I will take you half of the way, but the rest you must put faith in the spirit of the planet." Hitomi nodded and closed her eyes as her grandmother took her in her arms. With one great movement of her elegant wings, Hitomi's grandmother brought Hitomi into the large pillar of light and then slowly faded away.

Hitomi whispered good-bye to her grandmother as the light took her up above her word and into the gem colored sky of Gaea. The light became brighter as she reached the surface, and after a minute of hovering above the landscape, the light gently touched her to the ground, and receded into the mountains in the distance. Hitomi looked up and saw the familiar image of her world and its moon in Gaea's sky with a smile on her face. "I've finally reached Gaea…and soon I will see all my friends again; including Van. I wish I could have been brought here on a happier note, but at least I have found my way back. Back to the beautiful landscapes, people, and architecture. Back to the ones I love. Back to Gaea; a world forever torn apart by war…" Hitomi thought to herself, as she began her quest to find her friends and give them her grandmother's warning.

"Are you sure this thing belongs to Hitomi?" Asked Merle as she picked up the tarot card and examined it with one claw drawn out of her hand. Van nodded his head and turned the card over in Merle's hand. "Yes I am sure of it. Look at what it says on the back." Merle scrunched her eyes to see the words better and read the inscription on the back. "_To Hitomi Kanzaki from Grandma; May you find good fortune with these cards. _It looks like you are right, lord van. I wonder why she has come back after all these years. I thought that she wanted to go home."

Van looked out one of the palace windows sadly and nodded his head. "I know that's what she said, but…. I don't know. I have a feeling that she wants to return. I've had dreams about her returning to Gaea for the past month. It always starts out the same; she makes a wish on a star and then it turns into a woman with silver wings. Then woman takes her to Gaea on a great white dove and I meet her in a village outside my kingdom called Asterna. I don't know how close my dream is to the truth, but I have a feeling that she is here…and in that village."

Merle looked at Van with question and handed him back the Tarot card. "How do you know she's there? It was just a dream you know." Van gazed out the window dreamily. "I don't know; I just…know. Hitomi always said that we had a strong connection, and I believe that she is right. I can almost feel her presence here and I just know it is heading towards Asterna. I may be wrong, but this is the only lead we have right now." Merle rolled her eyes and jumped on van's shoulders playfully.

"Whatever you say, lord Van. It sounds pretty funny to me, chasing after a silly dream you had, but if you really believe that is where she is I will help you in every way I can." Van smiled and shrugged merle off his shoulders. "Thank you Merle. That will help me a lot. I have already contacted Milerna and Allen. They should be arriving in Fanelia in a few days. When they get here, they can help me with my search too. I just hope they get here before anything happens to her." Merle smiled reassuringly towards Van as his eyes filled with worry. "Don't worry; I'm sure Hitomi will be just fine. It isn't like the Zaibach Empire is out to get her this time, or anything! I mean, what could happen?"

Van chuckled and sat back on a silver chair with a velvet seat by the window overlooking the place garden. "I suppose you are right, Merle. I guess all we can do now is wait for everyone to arrive. I'll go down to the kitchen and tell the cooks to prepare a good meal for our guests. Then I'll talk with the village leader of Marsenia that I scheduled a conference with today. I'll need someone to deal in the kingdom's affairs while I'm on my quest, and I think he will do nicely." Merle frowned and jumped into Van's lap, nearly causing him to fall out of the chair. "Oh lord Van, you work too hard. Ever since you have become king all you have been doing are royal duties. You never have any time to yourself! I want to help! I can help the cooks in the kitchen. It will save you a chore to do."

Van smiled and rubbed Merle's head causing her hair to frizz up. "Thank you Merle. That will save me a lot of work. You run along now and don't worry about me. I hear the cooks are making a special fish dinner tonight, and they want people to taste their dishes before they serve them to the court. Why don't you go help them out."? Merle drooled when van mentioned a fish dinner and jumped of his lap excitedly. "Fish dinner? Yum! You bet I'm going to help! You can count on me lord van!" She said as she ran out of the room and to the kitchen area below. Van laughed as merle ran off to the kitchen and rose from his chair to attend to his meeting with the villager. He wasn't sure if his quest to find Hitomi would be completely successful, but he did know that his people needed to be governed in his absence. With one more gaze out the window, he left his room and journeyed to the lower level of the palace to meet with the man from the village of Marsenia.

Milerna looked at Allen with shock as she handed him a white scroll written in gold ink. "It's a message from Van. He says that Hitomi has returned!" Allen examined the letter and then looked at Milerna with confusion in his eyes. "I am happy, of course; Hitomi was a great asset to our rebellion, and a great friend, but how did she manage to find her way back into Gaea?" Milerna shrugged. "I don't know, Allen. Van didn't explain clearly in his message. All I know is that she is somewhere else…in a village called Asterna. Van wants us to meet at his palace in two days and go on a quest to find her. She is, after all, our friend and Van thought we would like to help him on his journey."

Allen smiled warmly toward his wife and placed the scroll through a loop in his belt. "Of course I want to help. Gaea, while beautiful, is unsafe for travelers who do not know their way around. It is my duty as a knight Calie, and the king of Asturia to make sure she is safe within the kingdom of Fanelia." Milerna nodded and took Allen's hand into her own. "And it is my duty as queen to make sure that a hero's visit, such as Hitomi's, does not go un-noticed or unappreciated. I will not rest peacefully knowing a good friend is missing in place they are unfamiliar. I will contact Eries, and tell her that we will be gone for a while. I am sure she will have no problem in watching over our people while we are gone."

Allen stroked Millerna's hair and then gave her a delicate hug. "Do not fear; my emotions for Hitomi have long faded. I will remain loyal to my queen." Milerna blushed and held Allen close to her. "I know; I do not worry about that. It would be a silly thing for me to think, after we have been married for two years. Anyway, I am too excited to see her again! I have so many things to ask her." Allen kissed Millerna softly on her cheek. "I am honored to be trusted by a woman as lovely and wise as you. I will head down to the court and prepare us for our quest. You can rest a while I pack our things; you have been working hard today." Milerna nodded. "Thank you, Allen. I will help you with the rest of the packing later." With one final kiss they went their separate ways and prepared for their visit with van in the days to come.

Hitomi shaded her eyes from the sun as she made her way into a small village on the banks of a river. "This place doesn't look familiar to me; I must have become turned around in that forest last night. Oh, I must be lost! And I'm so hungry I could eat a whole plate of rice with or without chopsticks! Oh well; maybe I can find someone who would be kind enough to tell me where I am…and give me some food!" Hitomi thought out loud as she walked down a narrow road with tiny houses made of stone and straw on either side of it.

She stopped when she came to a red-painted door with a golden knob at the end of the street. She didn't know why, but something inside her told her to knock on the door. "Maybe this person will be able to help me." She thought to herself as she knocked twice and waited patiently for someone to answer. She was surprised to see a familiar face as the door swung open. "Dryden? Is that you?" Hitomi asked in shock as the tall, brown haired merchant made his way onto the houses' porch. "Yep, that would be me. Who wants to know?" He asked as he leaned lazily against the doorframe of his house. "Dryden! It's me…Hitomi!" Dryden pushed his sunglasses down and stared at Hitomi in shock for a few minutes, before speaking again. "H…Hitomi? How did you get back here? I thought you went back to the mystic moon!" Hitomi nodded. "I did go back…but I have returned. I need to talk to Van right away! Do you know where he is? Something terrible is going to arise on Gaea and I have to let all of the kingdoms know!"

Dryden pointed his chin to a set of mountains that stretched to the east. "Do you see those mountains? Van's kingdom lies beyond them. If you are really serious about what you told me I guess I can give you ride there in the morning. Van sent me a message to come anyway. I was going to decline, but I guess that I have no choice now. Why don't you come in? I'll get you some food and you can tell me all about you premonition over diner." Hitomi smiled. "Thank you Dryden; I owe you!" Dryden gave a short laugh. "You bet you do! Now come in before your diner gets cold." Hitomi gave her friend a hug, and the two made their way into the unusually large cottage.

Inside were rows of book shelves that housed a wide array of scrolls and parchments that were bound together with gold string. In the middle of the room there was a multi sectional couch and a table that looked like it was made of solid gold. Above hung a giant chandelier that housed thousands of crystals all different shapes and sizes. On the walls hung giant portraits of men who resembled Dryden with slight differences in their features whom Hitomi guessed were images of Dryden's ancestors. The wall itself was lined with a gold and green parchment and at the top and bottom were upraised scenes of some battle that had been fought ages ago. "Your home is quite amazing, Dryden" Hitomi said as she let her gaze fall on a statue that depicted a woman with great flowing robes, holding an old fashioned balance scale in front of her.

Dryden waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, don't be too impressed; _I_ didn't do the decorating. If I had my way, I would have chosen a simpler design, but my old man insisted on this one. Anyway, I'm sure that you don't want to spend all day looking at my study. I'll take you to the dinning room." Dryden led Hitomi up a small flight of stairs that led to a room that left her staring in awe. The main dining hall had a large, glass table sitting in the middle of it that was held up by twelve statues of dragons, each embedded with jewels and cast in silver. The main arch ways were made of solid silver, and the ground beneath her was made of a foreign type of glass that depicted the scene of two warriors taking on a dragon all throughout the room. Above hung four chandeliers that took on the appearance of flying dragons, and on the walls hung candles that all must have been under some enchantment, because a distinct song played from each one and there was no sign that the wax had ever been melted on them.

Dryden caught Hitomi staring at the candles, dumbstruck, and rolled his eyes. "I see that you've discovered my special candles. Well, don't get to wrapped up in them. Like I said, my old man spent more money on my home than he should have. Let's just eat some diner, ok?" Hitomi nodded, still lost for words, and sat at one of the chairs at the head of the table that was in the shape of a mermaid. "So what's on the menu?" She asked, when she noticed that the kitchen didn't seem to be in the same area as the dining hall. "Whatever you ask for." Dryden replied, as he pulled a lever that was by one of the main archways, and a strange crystal rose from the center of the table. "What is this?" Hitomi asked, a bit shocked that a large stone had just risen out of the dinner table. "That, my friend, is an Eneulvion crystal. A wizard gave it to me a couple years back. It gives you anything you ask. I have enough possessions, so I had him modify the spell so the crystal gives you any food you ask for. Why don't you give it a try?"

Hitomi smiled. "All right! Here goes nothing…I would like egg rolls, a sushi platter with lots of wasabi, and a side of egg drop soup please!" No sooner had she asked, the crystal began to spin counter clockwise and produced a bright yellow stream of light that slowly but surely created all of the food that she had ordered in front of her place at the table. When it was finished, it tossed Hitomi a pair of chop sticks and returned to its normal state. "This device is amazing!" Hitomi said, as she eyed the platters of food that were set before her. Dryden shrugged. "I guess. I must say that it has certainly saved me the trouble of hiring a kitchen staff. I'm glad that you like it." Hitomi nodded excitedly and began scooping large spoonfuls of egg drop soup into her mouth. Remembering her manners, she slowed down her food intake and smiled at Dryden sheepishly. "I'm sorry Dryden; I haven't eaten anything since I arrived here yesterday. Please excuse my manners." Dryden laughed and told the machine to give him some wine and a type of meat that was foreign to Hitomi.

When it was served in front of him he began shoveling gobs of meat in his mouth. "Don't worry about it. To tell you the truth, I haven't eaten anything all day either, so I'm probably going to eat a bit sloppy too. That is, if it suites _your_ tastes." Hitomi smiled and gestured for Dryden to continue. "Be my guest, Dryden. I know that I'm going to!" The two companions spent the next half hour shoveling food into their mouth so quickly, that someone might have mistaken their diner party for the world's fastest eating contest. When they were both content with their meals and could not eat another bite, Dryden showed Hitomi to a room at the end of the hall where she could stay for the time being. "I hope that this room meets your satisfaction; it's a bit gaudy for my tastes."

Hitomi peered into the room and was off stuck to find a décor that was worthy of being a room in the royal palace of Asturia. In the middle of the room sat a four post bed with a canopy of gold silk stretched across the top. On the right there was an area for entertaining guests and a device that looked similar to a television in design. Upon closer observation, she saw that the device displayed natural images which changed to meet the time of day. As the sun retreated below the mountains, the device displayed the image of an owl that hooted quietly every few minutes. On the left of her bed rested a bath tub and a shelf that contained many kinds of soaps and oils. On the ceiling, hung a great mosaic that depicting the fall of Zaibach and the rebuilding of Fanelia.

She recognized two of the images as van and merle right away, and smiled warmly. "I think that this room will do just fine Dryden. Thank you for all of your help." Dryden shrugged. "I'll do anything for a friend. Don't worry; we'll set out on our quest to Fanelia first thing in the morning. In the mean time, you should get some rest. I hope that you enjoy your stay here, lady Hitomi." Hitomi nodded. "I think that I will Dryden. You have a good night." Dryden gave Hitomi a solute before walking out of the room and journeying down to the study where he spent a few hours looking at some age worn books before retreating to his bedroom chambers.

Hitomi changed into a night gown that she found in a dresser at the front of the room, and then crawled underneath the covers of the four post bed. Before she went to sleep she glanced up at the ceiling and locked eyes with the image of Van. It was hard to believe that she was going to see him after all of the years they had been apart. When she had returned to Earth she had thought that she would never see him again and now that she was going to meet with her soul mate in the next day's travel she could barely contain her excitement. The thought of seeing Van's warm smile and kind eyes kept Hitomi awake for a while, but she finally gave in to her exhaustion as the moon rose to its highest point over the horizon. She slept soundly for a few hours having wonderful dreams about her rendezvous with Van until the middle of the night when she was awakened by a large crashing sound in the distance.


	3. Brief Reunion

Chapter Two:

Brief Reunion

"All hail King Allen and Queen Milerna of Asturia!" Shouted an elder member of the Gaean council as the young king and queen drew close to the city atop a white carriage. After a short pause he signaled for one of the palace guards to open the grand silver gates that encircled the markets and thatch-roofed houses of the city. The guards acknowledged his words with a fanelian battle cry and turned two great wooden wheels that were located on either side of the great silver gate. After a few turns from either side, the intricately carved gates flung open to reveal Allen and Milerna ridding atop a white carriage drawn by two magnificent horses native to their region. The crowd cheered as the carriage made its way across the city to it's destination at the main entrance of Van's palace.

When they finally reached the marble stairs that led to the main hall of Van's castle the couple stepped out of the carriage and made a formal greeting to the city. Allen raised his arms to the people and said in a very regal manner; "People of Fanelia; we are honored to be in your kingdom today. May Farrah, the goddess of fortune, smile down on your kingdom for many ages to come!" The people praised the king and queen of legend, and sung old Fanelian songs with joy as three palace maids journeyed to their carriage and brought their luggage to a room van had picked out for them to stay in while they were visiting his kingdom. After they had disappeared with all of their personal belongings, the young couple was greeted by Merle who spared no formalities, giving her friends a large hug and a couple of licks with her rough tongue.

The two laughed and in turn each gave Merle a warm embrace. Both noticed that Merle had grown considerably since they had seen her four years ago. Her pink hair was longer and plaited with ornaments and fine jewels, her body had filled in and become more mature, and she was dressed in the fine, cream colored robes of her country no doubt the work of master seamstress'. Despite her physical changes, Merle still remained the same rambunctious cat girl they remembered from all those years ago and they were both couldn't help smiling at her cat-like antics. "It's very good to see you Merle," said Milerna as she took Allen's hand in her own.

Merle smiled and gestured for the young couple to follow her into the palace. "It's good to see you too. But we'll have plenty of time to catch up later. Van left the palace to find Hitomi. Until his return, he instructed me to show you to your room and to make sure you both were comfortable. Come this way; Van chose a special room for you!" The couple nodded and followed Merle up a great flight of marble steps that led to the entrance of the palace. When they reached the top, they were greeted by two Fanelian soldiers who bowed slightly and then pulled two intricately weaved silver ropes located on either side of the grand archway that caused the palace doors to swing open.

Allen and Milerna gasped when the doors creped open and revealed a grand hallway with large statues on either side of a grand hallway, each beating scrolls which had the names of all the great generals that had fallen in battle when Zaibach had attacked the kingdom many years ago. In the center of the room was a statue made of crystal that bore the name of Hitomi underneath. Her image was dressed in the finest of Fanelian garb and she held the pendant her grandmother had given her close to her heart. Underneath the magnificent sculpture was a plaque that read "The memory of our savior shall never be forgotten…her courage and love will live on in the hearts of our people for many years to come."

At the end of the room sat a grand throne made of copper that was sculpted into the shape of a dragon. It held some form of energist in its mouth, which caused its eyes, nose, and mouth to light up. On the walls hung great tapestries which depicted the different creatures that lived throughout the world of Gaea. Milerna took a liking to the tapestry that hung on the wall opposite to Van's throne. It depicted a scene of fairies and elves dancing in the forests atop a mountain side that lay beyond the borders of Asturia. It brought back memories of her mother…and how she used to tell stories of the elves when she brought Milerna and her sisters out to the green fields blow the mountain range for their weekly afternoon picnics.

Allen caught his wife smiling at the tapestry and squeezed her hand gently. "It seems like Van has made a lot of changes to his palace, since the last time we were here. The architecture is quite lovely. We shall have to compliment his fine taste in art when he decides to grace us with his presence." Milerna chuckled and agreed heartily. It was hard to believe that a kingdom as small as Fanelia had grown so much in only four years. When Milerna rode through the city with Allen, she had noticed that the architecture of Van's palace was reflected in many of the buildings throughout the city. Everything was built of limestone which made the city appear to glow a pale shade of green from far away; no doubt why many people on Gaea had started to call the city "the emerald of the Dragon Valley."

"Yes, Van has done a wonderful job rebuilding his kingdom. It rivals even Asturia in beauty. I'll be sure to give my compliments to Van when he returns from his quest." Milerna said dreamily, as she lost herself in the beauty of the throne room. Merle rolled her eyes and tugged on Allen and Milerna's robes. "Are you two going to sit here staring at Van's throne room all day, or would you like to see the rest of the palace too? Gee; you two would make better statues, you know." Allen chuckled. "You're right Merle. We can't spend all day gawking at art work in the throne room. Where are our manners? We would be honored to see the rest of the palace."

Merle gave her companions a goofy grin, and lead them this way and that through the winding corridors and long hallways of the palace. Whenever their was a room of interest, Merle would stop and give them a small tour, then continue on to the next room until she reached the room where they were going to stay. When they reached the farthest room in the west wing, Merle stopped at the door and gave the couple a big smile. "Well here's our final stop. I hope it meets with your approval. It doesn't meet with my tastes. I told Van to give you another room but he insisted on this one." Merle made a face as she led the young couple to the center of the room and pointed out where the servants had left their bags. Milerna let her gaze pass over the furniture in the room. There was a love seat situated by the window that looked out onto the palace garden below. Beside it sat an end table with brass legs. The bed was large in size and had an image of a dragon carved into the headboard. There was a bath in the adjacent room with oils and various hair care products stacked on a shelf above.

The room itself was very simple in design. One could tell it was made for comfort rather than draw attention to. Milerna smiled as her eyes fell on a small music box on one of the end tables by the bed. Now she knew why Van had chosen that particular room for them to stay in. Somehow he had come to posses the music box that belonged to her sister those many years ago. Beside it was a note that read; "A belated wedding gift." Milerna whipped a tear from her eye and picked up the music box. She showed it to Allen and then drew it to her heart. "I think this room will do just fine, Merle. Just fine…" Merle shrugged as Allen walked over to Milerna and gave her a warm embrace.

After Milerna cradled her Husband and the music box for a while, he gently took the music box from her hands and set it on the end table she had retrieved it from. He then whipped the remaining tears from her face and gazed lovingly into her eyes. "Do not cry, my love. This is a time of celebration! We should save these joyous tears for when we meet up with dear friends, don't you think? Though I do admit; it was very kind of Van to do this. I shall be sure to thank him when he returns. He has done a great service to us." Milerna smiled and agreed heartily. "You are right, my love. I will save my tears for the day when I see our beloved Hitomi once more and we meet up with old friends. And I shall be sure to thank lord Van for his generous gift. It is true what the people say. Van really does have a generous heart." Allen nodded and gave his wife as small peck on the check as Merle rolled her eyes. "This is enough to make a grown land dragon sick to its stomach. I think I'll leave you two alone. I think that the cooks are preparing a fish dinner done in the kitchen! I'm going to try some before I lose my appetite…"

Merle waved a quick goodbye and then ran off to the kitchen to try the latest fish delicacy. Milerna and Allen chuckled as they watched Merle run on all fours down the corridor, nearly knocking a palace maid off balance. "Some things will never change." Allen sighed happily as he watched Merle disappear around a bend in the grand hallway. Milerna smiled and situated herself on the love seat overlooking the palace garden. "Yes, some things will never change. But many things do. Just look how Fanelia has grown! I never would have pictured Fanelia as a major trade city, but now it rivals even Asturia in character and beauty! It leads one to wonder how our dear Hitomi has changed over the years. She will always be the same girl we know and love but she's been given some time to mature. I bet when Van sees her next he will be taken by her beauty. He already goes off into a daze when he speaks of her. He will probably be surprised beyond words when he is finally graced by her presence. And hopefully when he speaks he will not grace her with all of the wrong ones. Romance has never been his strong suit." Allen nodded and joined his wife on the love seat. "I hope that he can find all the right words too. I'll be praying for him..." The couple laughed and let their gazes pass over all of the architecture of the garden as the sun rose to its highest point and cast a shadow at 12:00 on a sundial situated under their window.

Many things had changed in Fanelia over the years but there was one thing that remained the same; Fanelia still held its ancient charm. Like an old cottage in the woods, it was a place where everyone could come together and could feel like they belonged. Allen and Milerna contemplated this as Merle returned to their chambers and told them to join the court in afternoon brunch. They both nodded in agreement and after exchanging looks of content, followed their furry friend down to the dinning hall where a great feast awaited them.

Hitomi had been startled from her slumber by a large noise outside her window. She wasn't sure what all of the commotion was about but she had a feeling that something wasn't right. After throwing on her school uniform she ran to Dryden's room to find him putting on leather arm bracers. As she entered the room, he picked a long sword off his desk and than faced her with a look of worry on his face. "There has been an attack on the village. I was just about to wake you from your sleep. The local militia has been trying to hold of the invaders with a Tromm cannon but those creatures keep attacking the village. I've never seen anything like them! They aren't beast men…but they are not human. It's as if they came from another world…"

Before Hitomi could question Dryden further, she heard a trumpet sound in the distance, followed by the sound of woman and children screaming below. Dryden cursed under his breath and ran to look out his window. He observed the militia men escorting the woman and children out of the village, along with the sick and elderly. Hitomi came over to the window and gasped when she caught a glimpse at the scene below. Four of the houses had caught on fire and were blazing intensely under the pale moonlight. Many innocent people lay dead on the streets. Those who remained seemed less than adequate to fight. Hitomi noticed that most of the men were in their early twenties and were dressed for battle. Some were even armed with garden tools.

"What can I do to help?" Hitomi asked as she watched Dryden turn his gaze from the window to gather a few more items for the battle below. "You can go with the woman and children. The militia is leading them to a safe haven outside the city; to a hidden cave on the border of Fanelia. Go with them and help those that have fallen in battle. Van would never forgive me if I let you stay and fight; at least without any formal training. That's the way an inexperienced fighter gets killed and why I need to stay and help these men." Hitomi gave Dryden a look of protest but gave up quickly when she saw the stern look in his eyes. "All right; I'll go with the Militia. But be careful. I don't want to loose one of my dearest friends in battle." Dryden nodded. "I'll be fine; I give you my word. But you must go! Hurry before all of them are gone! Gathering your belongings and follow them out of the city. Do not stop for anything…not even for me, you understand? Now go!"

Hitomi nodded briskly and than ran down the hall to gather her belongings. She retrieved her gym bag from Dryden's guest room and than sped out of the house as fast as her legs could carry her. She caught up with the village's militia and marched in line as they escorted everyone out of the city. When they were at a safe distance away, Hitomi looked back to see the whole village engulfed in flames. Screams could be heard in the distance followed by howls that were neither beast nor human in origin. Hitomi wondered what matter of horrible creature could cause such a menace as she followed the line of survivors to the safe haven in the distance.

An hour into the march, the militia had decided to stop and let the villagers rest for the night. Hitomi used the break in the march as an opportunity to investigate a strange sound she had heard as they approached their camp site. At first she saw nothing, but as she drew closer to the sound she saw two cloaked bodies lying on top of one another. Hitomi ran to their aid and saw that a giant log had somehow been tossed on top of them. There was a rope tied on either side of the log. Thinking quickly she tied the end to a near-by tree and used it as leverage. The log slowly lifted off the cloaked bodies. They moaned as the log passed over their bodies and came tumbling in the opposite direction. The log was gone, but the bodies were still badly injured. Hitomi gently helped the green cloaked body off the other and propped it against a near-by tree. She then helped the other body to the same tree and kneeled beside them.

The mysterious traveler wearing a green cloak bowed humbly. "We owe you our life. This man was traveling in the forest when those creatures attacked. They used a trebuchet to fire a log at him. I was able to knock him out of the way just enough so that he wouldn't take the brunt of the attack. But we were still both injured greatly. I don't think this man is holding out too well. I tried keeping him with me, but he passed out. He needs immediate attention. Did you bring medical help with you?"

Hitomi nodded. "Yes! I am traveling with the town Militia. I bring them to you right away! Hold on...I'll be right back!" The mysterious traveler nodded and grasped his side in pain as more blood flowed from the wound. No sooner had Hitomi reported her find to the Militia, a group of five men set out to help carry the travelers back to camp on makeshift stretchers. Their wounds were addressed in a tent that the militia had pitched for villagers that needed to be treated of serious injuries. Hitomi waited outside the tent and checked up on the traveler's progress every chance she could to make sure they were all right. After a few hours, a doctor inside the tent emerged and smiled at her. He gestured for her to come inside when he saw her face light up with hope. "It seems like these men will be just fine. Come in and see them so they can meet the woman who saved their lives." Hitomi nodded excitedly and stepped inside the tent.

At first it was too dark to see any of their features, but the doctor brought two lanterns and hung them on either side of the tent. As the light passed over their faces she gasped when she locked eyes with the first patient. All she could do was stare in disbelief as tears began to form in her eyes. "I can't believe it…it's really you…" Hitomi began to sob as she saw tears fall down the patent's face. "Hitomi…is that you?" He said in a weak voce as he gazed into her eyes. Hitomi ran to the medical cot and touched the man's face gently. "Yes! Oh how I've missed you! And I could have lost you tonight..." The man took Hitomi's hand in his own and smiled reassuringly. "I will never leave you. Not even death could take me from you. I have missed you so..." Hitomi gazed lovingly into the man's eyes and stroked his cheek. "I have missed you too. After all these years…we're finally together. I've missed you Van…"

Van smiled weakly at Hitomi. "I have missed you as well. I have longed to hold you in my arms every day since you returned to your world. I might have never been given the chance again if you hadn't found us. Thank you Hitomi; I owe you my life." Hitomi blushed. "I just helped find you. You don't owe me anything. It's that man who saved your life." Van looked over to the man in the adjacent cot with a look of gratitude on his face. "Thank you, friend. I will forever be in your debt." The man smiled. "It was no trouble at all. I would do anything for the king of Fanelia."

Hitomi let her gaze fall on the man. In the darkness she could not make out his features but now she could see them as plain as day. The man had dark brown hair that fell around his face in different layers. His eyes were a dark green in color with flecks of amber around the iris. He had a muscular physic and his skin was a light tan color. On his right cheek was a light blue symbol that Hitomi couldn't make out clearly, in the lighting. He appeared to be the same age as Van and had very similar facial features. In his ears, he wore two feathers that hung on either side of his face.

After remaining quiet for an unusual amount of time Hitomi smiled at the man, as not to draw attention to herself. "Thank you for saving Van's life. He is everything to me. I apologize for being quite. It's just that I can't help noticing how similar you look to him. May I ask your name? Maybe you are related?" The man chuckled. "I am called Aden. My mother is Sarai, sister of Varie. So yes; I am related. I have never met my cousin until this day. I am sorry that it could not be under lighter circumstances." Van looked at the man with a look of surprise on his face. "You are…my cousin? If this is so, I am honored to meet you. But why have I never seen you before?"

Aden's face became more serious as he peered into Van's eyes. "I have not come here until this day because I was not needed. I come from a clan of people that do not agree with the customs of Gaea. We prefer to stay on our own turf. But a great evil has befallen our world and if I had not come for help when I did, all would be lost." Van looked at the man with eyes of question. "You mean to say that you do not come from this world? But you are not dressed in the clothes of the Mystic Moon, so where could you be from? And if you are not from Gaea then how can we be related?"

Aden let his gaze fall on one of the lanterns in the medical tent. It cast an eerie shadow upon his face as he continued with his story. "I am related to you through Varie's sister, Sarai. I am her son which makes us cousins. Long ago, Sarai lived in this realm with Varie in the Floresta Mountains. She was given a prophesy by her village elder when she came of age. He told her that she would meet her love in the Chatal Mountains on Green, the third moon. She was to climb to the top of the mountain on her own merit carrying an iris. When she met the man she was destined to be with she was to give the Iris to the man and tell him her name. If he responded by saying; 'you are the angel I have been seeking,' then it was the man she was destined to be with."

"She climbed to the top of the Chatal Mountains never once using her wings to aid her. When she reached the top she was exhausted and thirsty. But she was determined to find the man she loved so she waited patiently for three days eating little and sleeping only a few hours in-between. On the third day the Ispano mother ship came down from the sky and their tribe emerged. Within she saw the image of a young man about her age. She was surprised to see that he had a set of permanent wings. He walked toward her and took the Iris from her hands. 'You are the angel I have been seeking,' were the first words he said to my mother so she knew it was destined to be."

"The man's name was Raylion…my father. He is the reining king of Elbrese on my world. The world's name is Fortulah and it was crafted from the wishes of the Ispano thousands of years ago. They did not approve with the Atlanteans or the new civilizations of Gaea so they chose to make their own world and dwell there. The people of Gaea have never asked where they come from and they are never quick to answer as they do not like to be involved with its people. So naturally our world fell into myth and legend. Only a few tribes here on Gaea credit it as being real. But we are well aware of Gaea and the mystic moon alike. The Ispano travel many places and tell us stories of the worlds they visit."

"My mother told me all about Gaea and it's people. She told me many stories about Fanelia and of the kingdoms that consider her tribe of people to be a cursed race. On my world Fortulah, the Atlanteans that survived the fall of Atlantis built a civilization. So the draconian people are welcomed there. That is why you do not find too many tribes left on Gaea. They have all retreated into my realm." Van stared at his cousin in shock for a few moments and then exchanged glances with Hitomi who shared his look of surprise. He then let his gaze fall on Aden's tattoo and said; "That must be why I cannot read the symbol on your arm. It's written in Atlantean, isn't it?" Aden nodded. "Yes. My father is part of the tribe of Atlanteans that survived the fall of the city. On Fortulah, we call the surviving Atlanteans the Glyaaan. My mother was draconian so that is why I do not have the permanent wings like my father."

Hitomi nodded and stared in Aden's eyes with a look of concern. "If it is true that the survivors of Atlantis are on your world then why can't they fight the darkness? They would still have the power of Atlantis at their finger tips. Is this new darkness really that powerful?" Aden frowned and started deep into Hitomi's eyes. "Not even the power of Atlantis is strong enough to stop...her." Aden clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes. "This woman…Rhea…has been a burden to my world for a hundred years. She was once a part of my father's tribe but she went rouge after she was discovered to be using the dark arts. In anger she formed her own tribe called the Leviates. My father's tribe heard nothing of her for years but then she emerged from hiding and began attacking near-by villages. The people of my world watched in horror as village after village fell victim to her armies."

"The Leviates became a dangerous people. They formed a cult known as The Black Jewel Organization that followed the teachings of Rhezia, the goddess of destruction. They believed in order to bring peace back to the world all things had to be destroyed. Those who joined the cult were spared. The rest were mercilessly slaughtered. My great grandfather Ardous formed a resistance to fight against Rhea and her tribe. But it was to no avail. No one could stand up to Rhea's power. When all hope seemed lost the great prophet Iben made a prediction. He said that the spirit of Fortulah would summon a girl from the mystic moon to help the resistance. According to his prediction, her power would be so great that it would lock the evil away and restore hope to our world. One year later a pillar of light fell from the sky and revealed a young girl. After training in the sacred temple of Fortulah, she gained the power to drive the evil sorceress back and brought an end to the chaos. When peace was brought back to the many kingdoms of Fortulah the spirit of our world gave the girl a necklace as a token of her everlasting gratitude, Fortulah then proclaimed the girl's family line the rightful protectors of her lands and there was a great celebration in the girl's honor. After the celebration, the girl was swept up into the sky on the back of a griffin and no one ever saw or heard from her again."

"But our people of my realm have never forgotten her. The story has been told for two generations along with the final prediction of great profit Iben. On his death bed he spoke these words to my grandfather; 'Rhea will rise again. Only the chosen family line of the mystic moon will be able to stop her. When the chaos appears on our world you must journey to Gaea and wait in the Elzekian forest outside of Fanelia. There, the young girl of legend will appear before your eyes…' Before any more details could be told to my grandfather, Iben died of an unknown disease. Two generations later Rhea has risen again and has begun spreading chaos throughout my world. She has already taken control of the major trade cities of Fortulah in pursuit of her ideal future. She calls it a holy war. Ha! There's nothing holy about what she's doing. Again chaos is spreading like a wildfire. And only that girl's family line can help. I have journeyed to Gaea to seek this girl in the Elzekian forest. Only she can restore balance to our world."

Hitomi stared at Aden in silence for a few moments and then said; "The spirit of Gaea summoned me to this world for the very same purpose. My grandmother helped bring me here. I wonder if there is some connection. May I ask the name of the girl who saved your world those many years ago?" Aden nodded and received a small necklace from the pocket of his green cloak that was resting on the floor by his medical cot. He tossed it to Hitomi and gestured for her to open it. As she opened the locket he said, "The girl's name was Reiko Toshika. Was that the name of your grandmother?" Hitomi looked at the picture of the girl and shook her head. "No. My grandmother's name was Obichan Yoshiko. I guess that I was not summoned to help your world after all. I am sorry that I cannot be of more help." Aden sighed and caught the pendant as Hitomi tossed it back to him. "It is all right. I did not expect to find her over night. It is curious that you have been summoned for a similar purpose. May I ask your name?"

Hitomi smiled. "Yes. I am Hitomi. Hitomi Kanzaki. I helped Gaea in the first war. I was brought back with Van the first time." Van, who had remained silent for an unusual amount of time, finally spoke up. "Yes she helped save Gaea during the rise of Dornkirk. We will forever be in her debt. Many people regard her as the savoir of our world." Aden's eyes lit up with excitement as he returned his gaze tom Hitomi. "Hitomi Kanzaki! My people have heard of you! Everyone on Fortulah knows that name. It is as famous as the name of our savoir. The Ispano told the twelve kingdoms of Fortulah all about the Gaean war. It is an honor to meet you, my lady." Aden bowed as far as he could without falling out of his cot and Hitomi smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well. Any ally of Van is a friend of mine." Van smiled. "Yes it is an honor to meet you, my cousin. We will help you in any way that we can. But can I ask you a question. What are those creatures that attacked me in the forest? Did they come from your world?"

Aden nodded. "Yes. They are the Banshena. The Banshena are a tribe of wolf men that once dwelled outside my father's kingdom. In the first war they swore their elegance to Rhea to spare their own lives. After the war was over, Fortulah put a curse on their heads. They now wander our realm with no purpose other than to do Rhea's bidding. They have no souls and they kill anyone who interferes with Rhea's plans. When Rhea discovered that I was seeking a wizard to help me reach Gaea, she sent two legions of the Banshena after me. I shook off the first legion but the second followed my through the seal that the wizard cast for me to reach this world. I was able to elude them for a while, but when they found me in that small village back there they started causing havoc. I left in the middle of the night in an attempt to draw them away from the village but it was too late. They had already started murdering its people and set fire to one of the houses. I ran to find help and discovered Van wandering around these woods. Before I could say anything they launched a log at us with a catapult and that brings us to where we are now."

Van nodded and started at his cousin with a grave look on his face. "We will help you in any way that we can, but first we must defeat these wolf men. In the morning we should recruit half of the town's militia to help us find and kill the rest of those beasts." Aden grinned and started at his cousin with a look of amusement on his face. "You are just like my mother described. She visited Fanelia when you were very young. Even then she could see you were destined to be a great leader. All right; in the morning we will take care of the Banshena. Tonight we should get some rest." Aden pulled his cloak over his body and gave a short wave before drifting into a deep slumber. Van felt the heaviness of sleep weighing on his own eyes and smiled weakly at Hitomi. "I'm feeling tired myself. I think the medicine the doctor gave us is finally setting in. I want to stay awake; I have so many questions to ask you. But I feel so tired….I will tell you…in the morning…" Van drifted off before he could finish speaking to Hitomi, clutching the pendant that she had given her close to his heart. Hitomi smiled and gave Van a small kiss on the cheek before joining the rest of the village's refugees outside.

As she made her way to the main sleeping tent she looked up at the Mystic Moon and pictured the savior of Fortulah in her mind. She couldn't explain it, but she felt a strange connection to the girl she had seen in the locket. The name seemed so familiar but she couldn't place a finger on it. _"Well I guess there's no sense in worrying about that now. I need to focus on how I am going to help Van and Aden in the morning. I wonder if I should tell Van that I've been taking Karate and Katana lessons. On second thought, maybe I'll just help them fight and they can figure it out for themselves."_ Hitomi thought to herself as she retrieved a bed roll from one of the town Militia and retreated into the makeshift tent to sleep for the night.


	4. The Throne of Aeyda

Chapter Three:

The Throne of Aeyda

Yukari sighed and made a face as she reluctantly listened to her history teacher, Mr. Yamata, go on about the Samurai's role in ancient Japanese society. Usually the subject of History fascinated Yukari, but Mr. Yamata had a way of making _any_ subject he taught as boring as watching public access television. Even when they were studying the Americas, Yukari was forced to sit through an hour and a half lecture on the creation of Disney Land. Yukari smiled as she remembered Hitomi's response to the situation. When the lecture had come to an end, Hitomi had raised her hand and Mr. Yamata had asked her to stand in front of her desk to address the class. Hitomi had bowed and then had stood up from her chair with a nervous look on her face.

When Mr. Yamata had raised an eyebrow and asked her to continue, Hitomi had taken a look around the classroom and cleared her throat. Before continuing Hitomi had taken a deep breath and then had cautiously said; "Well sir, I was just wondering when we were going to do a fun project. I mean…it's not that your projects aren't fun to begin with. I do find all of your projects to be…very educational. But maybe we could get in groups and make collages of all the Disney characters or something. It might be kind of fun! And I bet that we would learn a whole lot! What do you say, Mr. Yamata?" Some older girls at the back of the class had started to giggle and pretty soon the whole class was in uproar. Yukari couldn't help but chuckle herself.

Mr. Yamata had frowned at Hitomi before coming by her desk and smacking her right hand with his trademark "punishment" ruler. "If you want to be funny, Mrs. Kanzaki, sign up for drama class and study one of Shakespeare's comedies. But in my class, we learn about history. You are fully aware that we NEVER do group projects; especially ones that encourage immature behavior. Now stop disrupting the class and return to your reading!" Hitomi had nodded quickly and sat in her desk, pulling a notebook up to her face in an attempt to hide her blushing.

Hitomi's class disruption had given her a sort of fame at their high school. Ever since that day, When Mr. Yamata would ask the class to do an assignment that required reading from the book, a student would stand up and ask him to make it more interesting. This went on relentlessly for weeks on end until Mr. Yamata finally decided to add a class rule to the backboard. Hitomi had come back from winter break to a large sign on the chalk board that read; "No copying other student's stupidity. Those who do not abide by this rule will be given a falling mark in my class." Needless to say, when the rule was posted the students were put back in line and the ongoing practical joke toward Mr. Yamata was officially laid to rest.

But many students still congratulated Hitomi on her genius remark in his class many semesters after the fact. Every time a student was there to congratulate Hitomi on her fine work it seemed like Mr. Yamata was always there with a stern expression on his face and his trademark ruler in his hands. When the students saw Mr. Yamata come out of his classroom with his ruler they would leave mid conversation and give Hitomi a wink before being chased off by their grumpy history professor.

If there was one thing Mr. Yamata hated more than people disrupting his class, it was students who made a mockery of his teaching skills. So naturally, Mr. Yamata never quite took to Hitomi and if something went wrong in the class she was always the first person to be given the blame for it. Yukari on the other hand, was a straight "A" student in his class and was his star pupil. Whenever Hitomi goofed up on a test he would say; "Mrs. Kanzaki I am very disappointed in you. Honestly! Why can't you be more like Yukari and pay attention!" Hitomi would always give Yukari a sour expression after Mr. Yamata made a remark about her study skills and Yukari would always give her a cheesy grin

The thought of Hitomi giving her an annoyed look made Yukari chuckle despite her better judgment and her thoughts were suddenly disrupted by the sound of Mr. Yamata's ruler cracking down on her desk. "Mrs. Uchida, stop giggling and pay attention! Honestly; one would think I was talking to Mrs. Kanzaki today. But of course she hasn't shown up for my class for three days! No doubt she is ditching my lectures again. Why is this? Because she is a slacker! But you are not a slacker, Mrs. Uchida. You are going to make something of yourself. So stop goofing around and get back to work! It would be a shame to have to my star pupil fail on account of a student who never show up for class." Yukari winced and then bowed in respect before going back to taking notes on Mr. Yamata's long winded discussion.

After what seemed an eternity, the class bell chimed and she was released from Mr. Yamata's boring lecture. "Japanese History and Cultural Enrichment" was her last class for the day, so she met up with Amano at the student union before walking home. Amano was buying a sandwich from the lunch plaza when Yukari showed up, struggling to fit her history book in her back pack with the rest of her school supplies. When Amano saw her struggling, he took the book from her hand and placed it in his own back pack. "I'll help you carry this. I was going to help you study for your math exam after track practice. I'll be heading your direction anyway." Yukari smiled and hugged her boyfriend. "Thank you, Amano. You're always a big help." Amano gave her a quick squeeze and then winked at her. "No problem. It's what I'm here for, right? I remember taking that class my senior year. It was a real pain. Though, there are a lot of classes in college that wish I could just drop. But speaking of our little study group; have you seen Hitomi the last few days? I heard from Yoko that she was home sick. Or that's what everyone has been saying anyway. Do you know where she is?"

Yukari shrugged. "No…I don't. I figured she had ditched History class the past few days like she always does. I've been too busy to catch up with her after school so I haven't had time to check up on her yet. I was worried when she didn't show up for track practice, though. She never misses track. I figured that she was home sick. Whenever Hitomi misses practice, she usually is. I think I'll stop by after school and check up on her today. Would you mind coming with me before we head to my house?" Amano nodded. "Sure. I need to get my video game back from her anyway. She's had it for a month now." Yukari rolled her eyes. "That sounds like her. Well I guess I'll see you after practice then. I love you!" Amano gave her a kiss on the cheek and then said softly in her ear; "I love you too." Yukari blushed and gave Amano a final hug before heading off to track practice.

After recording all the times of the sprinters, Yukari called the team in and ended the practice for the day. In the girl's locker room, she overheard a few girls talking about Hitomi. Yukari pressed her ear against her locker so she could hear the conversation on the other side. _"If you guys are saying anything bad about her, I swear that I'll kick you butts…"_ Yukari thought to herself as she strained to hear the conversation. She recognized one voice right away. It belonged to Sakura, a freshman who just transferred to Kama Kita High School last semester. Sakura had a real gift for the softball throw and was a great team leader. "I wonder what Sakura has to say about Hitomi?" Yukari thought to herself as she pressed her ear closer to her locker. She couldn't make out much of the conversation but she did recognize the second voice. "That's…Ayumi Hasagawa. Hitomi and I have known her forever. I wonder what they are talking about?" Yukari whispered to herself as she strained to hear the rest of the dialogue. When the water from a shower in the adjacent room stopped running, Yukari could hear the conversation as clear as a bell. The dialogue on the other side, more or less went like this;

Sakura: "This is going to be a great loss for the team. Hitomi is one of the best sprinters that we have! And everyone likes her. She's a great team leader."

Ayumi: "It's more than a loss for the team; Hitomi is a close friend. I can't believe no one knows where she is!"

Sakura: "I heard that Seime saw cop cars in front of the Kanzaki residence this morning. She hasn't been at her house for three days."

Ayumi: "And Yukari doesn't know? They're best friends…why didn't anyone tell her?"

Sakura: "Well, technically the students aren't supposed to know. The principle is keeping this under wraps. The police think that she may have been kidnapped!"

Ayumi: "That's terrible! I feel so bad for Mrs. Kanzaki; she loves her daughter so much…"

Yukari gasped and dropped her gym bag on a patch of tile causing a loud banging sound to resonate throughout the entire locker room. Sakura and Ayumi stopped talking when they heard the noise and came to the other side of the divided lockers to see what was going on. When Sakura saw Yukari's eyes fill up with tears she stopped in her tracks. After exchanging glances with Ayumi, Sakura placed her backpack over her shoulder and gathered up her belongings. "Um…I think I should go. I'll catch you at my house later, Ayumi. We can study together then! I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about Hitomi earlier, Yukari. Please don't be upset." Sakura did a quick bow and then ran toward the front entrance of the locker room without another word, leaving Ayumi alone with Yukari.

At first no one said anything, but then Ayumi walked over and put her hand on Yukari's shoulder. "Yukari, listen…" Yukari pulled away and started deep into Ayumi's eyes. "Is what Sakura told you the truth? Has Hitomi really gone missing?" Ayumi frowned and took her hand off Yukari's shoulder. "Yes. Hitomi has been missing for three days. Seime heard Hitomi's brother tell the police that he saw a woman abduct her on the school track field, when the family was being interrogated this morning. That's why the principle has had all the teachers come out with us during practice. He's afraid someone else will get abducted too."

Yukari started at Ayumi a few minutes in disbelief and then said; "If Hitomi has really gone missing then I can't just sit around and let the police do all the work. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't do something? I wouldn't be a friend at all! I'm not going to just sit by while my best friend is in trouble. I am going to find her!" When Yukari reached to pick her gym bag off the locker room floor, Ayumi stopped her hand and stared deep into her eyes. "Yukari; you can't just go running off after Hitomi. What if that horrible woman captures you too? And you don't even know what she has done to Hitomi. Imagine if she were dead when you found her…" Ayumi let go of Yukari's arm and gasped when she realized what she had said.

Yukari used the opportunity to grab her gym bag off the locker room's floor and sling it over her shoulder. With tears in her eyes, she turned around and stared deep into Ayumi's eyes. "Don't' ever say that about Hitomi. She's fine…she has to be fine! I'll prove it to you. I'm going to find her!" Without a further word said, Yukari sprinted out of the girl's locker room leaving Ayumi alone with her thoughts.

Yukari didn't look back as she ran toward the school track field, though Ayumi was calling after her. The only thing she could focus on was the thought of finding her best friend. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she walked right passed Amano who had been waiting for her on the school track field for some time now. When he saw the distress on Yukari's face, he ran to catch up with her. "Yukari…what's wrong? I thought that we were heading to your house. You are heading in the opposite direction. Did one of the girls say something to make you upset?" Yukari stopped in her tracks when she heard Amano's voice and began to sob uncontrollably. Amano walked over to Yukari and took her in his arms with a look of concern on his face. "Don't cry Yukari; I'm here for you. I wish that you would tell me what is bothering you so I could help. But I understand if you don't want to say anything. You can cry in my arms as long as you need to."

Yukari looked up at Amano as tears continued to stream down her face. "Amano…Hitomi has gone missing! Her brother Kenji saw her get kidnapped! I'm just…trying to help. I don't want to just sit around while my best friend is in trouble." Amano gently whipped the tears off Yukari's face with a tissue he had been carrying in his pocket and looked at her with sadness in his eyes. "

-To Be Continued

I know that this is an irritating moment to leave off on but I have been neglecting my poor story for a LONG time now and I had to post something. But never fear! I will have this thing typed out faster than you can say cheese cake! Until then, read over the notes. It will give you an idea about what is going to happen next! Wiggles eye brows


End file.
